One of Earth’s seven quasi-moons has just got a new name: Asteroid 2004 GU9 is now known as Cardea, one of the Roman deities of doors and thresholds with a particular focus on hinges. ADVERTISEMENT GO AD FREE Cardea is not a real satellite of our planet like the Moon – it is not gravitationally […]
Earliest Evidence Of Human Relatives In Europe Pushed Back 500,000 Years
Bones from Grăunceanu, Romania have been interpreted as evidence early humans made it to Europe 1.95 million years ago, long before other accepted examples. However, the find is not a clear-cut case, and may face considerable dispute. The bones are not from our relatives themselves, but from potential prey that appear to have been cut […]
FDA Approves First-Ever Standalone Therapy For Treatment-Resistant Depression
A nasal spray therapy for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD) has now been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use on its own, making it the first-ever approved standalone treatment for this condition. ADVERTISEMENT GO AD FREE MDD is one of the most common mental health conditions in the US, affecting an […]
The Volcanic Eruption That Annihilated Pompeii Was 32 Hours Of Pure Hell
When Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE, the scolding lava, ash, and gas that poured from its entrails converted the Roman city of Pompeii into a terrifying snapshot of death and destruction. Two millennia on, researchers have finally recreated a blow-by-blow account of the disaster, revealing exactly how the eruption progressed and dragged the city’s […]
Atmospheric Rivers Are Causing Ecosystem Chaos In West Greenland’s Lakes
West Greenland’s lakes have undergone an alarming change. Within just a couple of years, thousands of its great blue lakes have turned brown and become dominated by a stinking gunk that pumps out carbon emissions. According to a new study, atmospheric rivers might be to blame. ADVERTISEMENT GO AD FREE Scientists at the University of […]
Why Does Metal Smell Tangy? It Doesn’t, That’s Just Your Body Odor
Hopefully, you’ve never eaten any chunks of metal or chowed down on a coin, but you’ll no doubt have an idea of what metal tastes and smells like: musty, tangy, and sharp. We’re here to inform you that metal doesn’t actually have an innate odor; that aroma is basically a body odor. ADVERTISEMENT GO AD […]
World’s Fastest Supercomputer Goes Online, Focusing On Classified Research
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LNNL) in California is now home to the fastest supercomputer in the world. Dubbed El Capitan and officially dedicated on January 9, it’s only the third exascale supercomputer in the world, and by far the fastest. ADVERTISEMENT GO AD FREE It cost $600 million to build and it will handle […]
Do We All Need To Consume More Iodine?
While there are a whole host of vitamins and minerals that are essential to our bodies being able to function properly, a critical one is iodine. Yep, that thing you used in high school to test for starch is actually good for more than just muddling through class. But are people getting enough of it? […]
Trump’s Vow To “Drill, Baby, Drill” Is Hitting Alaska’s Arctic Wildlife Refuge
In the first few hours of his second presidency, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that could pave the way for oil drilling in North Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, one of the last great wildernesses left in the US. ADVERTISEMENT GO AD FREE Shortly after announcing the US was set to “drill, baby, […]
What Happens When You Stop Washing? The Filthiest Tales Of Humans Refusing To Bathe
Have you ever looked at a bath and thought “Nah, not today!”? Well, you are not alone, as bathing has been a very up-and-down trend across history and from culture to culture. Ancient Rome’s public baths could be a grand affair, with all classes of Roman society taking frequent hot soaks. This contrasts with people […]
From Science Fiction To Reality: The Rise Of Robotic Surgery
Imagine this scenario: You are about to undergo an important and delicate surgical procedure. You’re lying on the operating table, waiting to be anesthetized. The room is sterile and quiet. In the past, you would expect to see nurses and surgeons setting up equipment and instruments for the operation, their movements bustling around in busy […]
The Steepest Street In The World? It’s Surprisingly Controversial
We all know the tallest mountain: it’s Everest, of course. Or Mauna Kea. Okay, okay, or Chimborazo. Look, maybe that’s too controversial an item of trivia – let’s aim smaller. Where’s the steepest hill? ADVERTISEMENT GO AD FREE It’s difficult to know for sure, since, well, not all of them have been officially logged. Perhaps […]
A Spotted Hyena Became The First To Visit Egypt In 5,000 Years, Then It Got Shot
A spotted hyena embarked on a lengthy and unexpected journey when it traveled to southeastern Egypt, marking the first time these animals have been seen here in around 5,000 years. The hyena was traveling alone, and regrettably met its end 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) from the Sudan border when it was shot. ADVERTISEMENT GO AD […]
Who Were The “Devil” Humans Who Walked On Volcanic Debris 350,000 Years Ago?
Around 350,000 years ago, a now-extinct volcano in southern Italy violently erupted, spewing ash high into the atmosphere and filling a nearby valley with molten pyroclastic material. As this hellish discharge cooled, a mysterious group of ancient humans went for a stroll along the newly formed volcanic terrain, leaving behind a trail of footprints in […]
Did COVID-19 Lockdowns Really Affect The Temperature Of The Moon?
A new study has re-examined the claim that the COVID-19 lockdown affected temperatures on the Moon, finding that they may have dropped a little at the Moon surface prior to the pandemic. ADVERTISEMENT GO AD FREE COVID-19 wrought – and continues to wreak – havoc on the Earth. According to a study in 2024, its […]
New Breast Cancer Drug Kills Mouse Tumors In Single Dose
The typical treatment for estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer involves surgery and years of hormone therapy that can come with an array of unpleasant side effects. However, a new drug candidate could hold the potential to eliminate the need for such a grueling process, after a study in mice found that it wiped out […]
Giant Ancient Hot Spot “Islands” Found In Earth’s Mantle Using Earthquake Data
Earth’s mantle behaves like a slow-moving fluid, but that hasn’t stopped two vast regions at its base from maintaining a separation from the rest. These continent-sized areas are hotter than the rest of the mantle – and according to new research, have maintained that status for at least half a billion years. The same areas […]
Thought Corals Were Stationary? Think Again – They’re Inflating And On The Move
Corals might appear stationary, but different species are capable of moving more than just their branches. In a new study, the mushroom coral Cycloseris cyclolites has been recorded navigating toward light, suggesting they’ve been underestimated until now. ADVERTISEMENT GO AD FREE “Not all corals are attached to the substrate; some are solitary and free-living, allowing […]
Strange Objects Could Be A New Kind Of Star That’s Inexplicably Icy
Astronomers have discovered two objects that at first looked like a well-known stage in star formation, but also have features that don’t fit that at all. Their forthcoming paper announcing the discovery carries more bewilderment than answers, proving once again we are far from having the galaxy – let alone the universe – figured out. […]
Extreme 9-Kilometer-Per-Second Winds Spotted On Distant Exoplanet Are The Fastest Of Their Kind
Astronomers have measured the wind speeds on a faraway world and found that they without comparison, not only to anything on Earth but also in the Solar System. Exoplanet WASP-127b is a hot Jupiter, a gas giant planet orbiting very close to its star. The system is more than 500 light-years away, and observations suggest […]
