El Niño, at its worst, can be devastating. It’s the climate phenomenon that sees the Pacific jet stream moved southwards by reduced equatorial winds, causing everything from heatwaves in Canada, to droughts in Africa, to intense storms over the west coasts of the Americas. Advertisement Well, bad news: according to a new paper, those worst-case […]
The Atlantic Gulf Stream Was Unexpectedly Strong During The Last Ice Age – New Study
Twenty thousand years ago the world was locked into a great ice age. Ice sheets two miles thick covered much of North America, Scandinavia and the British Isles. Greenhouse gas concentrations were much lower, the world was 6°C colder, and because of all the water trapped in ice-sheets, the sea was at least 120 metres […]
Five People Drive Into A Hot Acidic Lake In Yellowstone Park
It wouldn’t be a day ending in “y” without a tourist having a mishap at Yellowstone National Park. Advertisement The latest snafu comes courtesy of five visitors who accidentally drove their SUV into the Semi-Centennial Geyser – a hot, acidic pond located near the park’s Roaring Mountain, between Mammoth Hot Springs and Norris Junction. The […]
The Elusive Saki Monkeys Are One Of The Best Things You’ve Never Seen
Have you heard of saki monkeys? It wouldn’t be surprising if you hadn’t – they’re incredibly elusive, and unless you live deep in the Amazon rainforest, you’re unlikely to see one even by accident. Advertisement But you really ought to know more about them. Not only are they fashion icons, they’re also incredible athletes and […]
Man Caught In China Smuggling Over 100 Live Snakes Inside His Pants
A man in China has been caught trying to smuggle more than 100 live snakes into the country inside his pants – bringing new meaning both to the term “trouser snake” and also the term “holy cow dude, seriously, why would you EVER DO that?” Advertisement The traveler was intercepted by customs agents in Futian […]
Signs Of COVID Virus In The Body Years After Original Infection
Once upon a time, COVID-19 was two weeks of coughing and an inability to smell your new candle. Then we discovered the existence of Long COVID – a vague conglomeration of more than 200 symptoms that can be debilitating months or even years after the original disease seems to have cleared up. Advertisement Now, four […]
How Long-Haul Flights Affect The Body – And What To Do About It
You’ve got your shiny new luggage, battled your way through the airport, and now you’re only one step away from that much-needed vacation. Just 14 hours on a plane and you’ll be there. But what happens to your body spending all that time up in the air? Advertisement Feeling Dry Why it happens Ever feel […]
People Are Only Just Learning What QR Code Stands For
QR codes enjoyed an unlikely resurgence during the COVID-19 pandemic as a “touchless” system to relay information. Even today, the legacy of lockdowns still lingers in some restaurants and bars that ask patrons to scan a QR code to look at a menu (much to their dismay). However, not many people know the surprisingly long […]
Ariane 6 Finally Takes Flight, Cancer Patient Gets Total Larynx Transplant To Restore His Voice In World First, And Much More This Week
This week, 52,000-year-old “freeze-dried” mammoth skin delivers the first-ever set of 3D chromosomes, lion brothers swim a record-breaking distance across predator-filled waters, the first sighting of incredible “polar rain” from Earth finally has an explanation. Finally, we explore the world’s most endangered language, N|uu. Advertisement Subscribe to the IFLScience newsletter for all the biggest science […]
Head-On Aurora-Causing Solar Storms Are The Ones We Really Need To Worry About
The risk of a solar storm destroying power networks and submarine cables – and potentially even bringing down civilization – depends on the angle at which it hits the Earth’s magnetic field and the local time of night. Unsurprisingly, the strength of the incoming shock is also important, but new research emphasizes the influence of […]
4,000-Year-Old Giant Monolith Found Near Brutally Murdered Woman’s Ancient Remains In Cyprus
Across the island of Cyprus, archaeologists have discovered the ancient remains of young women who appear to have been murdered before being sealed inside buildings, as if to separate them from both the living and the dead. The latest discovered victim of this grisly practice was recently unearthed at the Bronze-Age site of Erimi, where […]
Spacesuits Inspired By Dune Allow Astronauts To Drink Recycled Pee
The blockbuster film, Dune, has inspired a new full-body spacesuit that can recycle its wearer’s urine, allowing them to walk for further during any future exploration. Advertisement Even though it is true that in space, no one can hear you pee, astronauts on spacewalks have few options when it comes to answering the call of […]
Mammoth Jerky, Endangered Language, And Rocket Science In The Jungle
This week on Break It Down we report live from a rocket launch, freeze-dried skin gets us a step closer to bringing back mammoths, “polar rain” auroras seen on Earth in a first, two lion brothers should star in their own Disney movie, a complete larynx transplant for a cancer patient, and the people fighting […]
Tumbleweeds Might Not Be What You Think They Are
Most of us will have seen a tumbleweed. Well, not necessarily in real life, but as a long-standing prop in cowboy movies, or in your brain when someone asks you a question during a Friday afternoon meeting. We know what they look like – but do you know what they actually are? Advertisement TikTok user […]
Is There An Up And Down In Space?
For humans, being able to orientate ourselves is crucial. Getting lost on the level is bad enough, but not knowing which way is up is worse. Most of the time gravity ensures that’s not a problem – but what happens in space without that assistance? Advertisement The International and Tiangong Space Stations lie very much within […]
Humans Left Africa To Hook Up With Neanderthals Earlier (And More Often) Than Thought
When human ancestors dispersed out of Africa over 50,000 years ago, they encountered Neanderthals that already carried some of their genes. Advertisement Today we are the only human species in the world, but it wasn’t always like that. Four hundred thousand years ago, when Homo sapiens’ ancestors lived in East Africa, Neanderthals already lived in […]
The Gladiator II Trailer Looks Epic, But Is Any Of It Accurate? We Asked The Experts
The trailer for Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II is now out and promises to be an unmatched cinematic spectacle. If you were a fan of the first film, there is every chance that you’ll love the new star-studded performance showcasing epic duels, fiendish Colosseum battles, and hints of political intrigue. But as with all Hollywood historical […]
World Population Expected To Drop For First Time Since Black Death After Mid-2080s
The size of the world’s population is set to peak and fall earlier than previous estimates suggested, according to a new report by the United Nations (UN). Advertisement In 2024, the global population stands at around 8.2 billion. As per the new data, the number of humans will rise to approximately 10.3 billion in the […]
First Official Mission To Titanic Wreck Since OceanGate Sub Disaster Kicks Off
A new expedition to the wreck of the Titanic is all ready to go, marking the first journey to the sunken site since the infamous OceanGate submersible accident of 2023. But don’t fret, the upcoming project will explore the seabed using robotic subs with no risk of deadly implosions. Advertisement Simply named the Titanic Expedition […]
Neolithic Europeans Walked Around With 5.5-Centimeter Holes In Their Skulls
Life in the Stone Age was hard enough without a bunch of ghosts hanging out inside your skull and messing with your brain. Fortunately, ancient neurosurgeons had a cure for haunted heads, leaving thousands of patients with enormous exit holes – some up to 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) wide – drilled into their noggins. Advertisement […]
