Are You More Likely To Be Killed By An Elephant Or An Asteroid? RFK Jr Pulls Millions Of Dollars Of mRNA Vaccine Funding, And Much More This Week

This week, the miniature “hobbit” ancient humans of Flores Island may have come from the nearby island of Sulawesi, where researchers have discovered stone tools, four newly discovered tarantulas have been discovered with the longest known schlongs in the spider world, and cockatoos have at least 30 different dance moves that they love to perform. Finally, we explore how scientists are using science fiction to help explore possible futures.

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Are You More Likely To Be Killed By An Elephant Or An Asteroid? Science Now Has The Answer

Humans are not the most rational beings when it comes to fear, especially about things that are interesting and dramatic in the media, but are rare occurrences in real life. If you are a millennial, you’ll know by now that quicksand, while dangerous, is not quite the threat we were promised as kids. Asteroids, however, are an interesting threat. We know they are serious, but how worried should we be? Read the full story here

We May Finally Know Where The “Hobbit” Humans Came From

The miniature “Hobbit” humans of Flores Island may have come from the nearby island of Sulawesi, where researchers have discovered evidence for ancient hominin occupation up to 1.5 million years ago. It’s currently unclear exactly which ancestral species was present on the Indonesian island at this early point in our history, but the journey from mainland southeast Asia to Sulawesi may have seen humans cross the ocean for the very first time. Read the full story here

Four New Species Of Tarantulas Discovered With Longest Known Schlongs In The Spider World

Four new tarantula species have been discovered in the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa. While that is remarkable in itself, what makes these four new tarantulas stand out from other known species is their surprisingly long, er, “ninth legs”. Read the full story here

RFK Jr Pulls Millions Of Dollars Of mRNA Vaccine Funding, Citing Misinformation – Here’s What To Know

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under the leadership of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., just announced a “coordinated wind-down” of mRNA vaccine development. That includes the termination of 22 research contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and a moratorium on new agreements being initiated. His reasoning why, however, goes against all scientific consensus and countless evidence. Read the full story here

Cockatoos Love To Dance, Showing Off 30 Different Moves That Some Combine In Unique Ways

Cockatoos have at least 30 dance moves they love to show off, and while not every species has been spotted making every move, some individuals combine moves in ways others don’t to create further metamoves. The purpose of the dancing is unknown, because while it may have evolved from courtship, it now occurs far more widely. Read the full story here

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Feature of the week:

Forecasting Tomorrow: How Science Fiction Is Helping Scientists Explore Possible Futures

Storytelling and creative imagining are powerful tools, even for science. Now, some researchers are using them to explore possible futures. The techniques involved in creating a fictional setting can help us explore future scenarios or complex questions, such as what role AI technologies will play, how future climate change may impact us, or even how people may respond to off-world settling. We spoke to three researchers who have embraced storytelling to explore the uncertainties and possibilities we may face in our individual and collective futures. Read the full story here