After 40 years of captivity, the last elephant in South Africa’s only national zoo has been freed and will live the rest of his life in a 10,000-hectare (24,700-acre) game reserve. Advertisement Charlie (sometimes spelled Charley) was the last African elephant in the National Zoological Gardens in Pretoria, South Africa’s only national zoo. He was […]
Sphen, One Half Of Famous Same-Sex Penguin Power Couple, Dies Aged 11
Sphen the gentoo penguin, best known as one half of a much-beloved same-sex power couple and parenting duo at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, has died at the age of 11 – and left behind an impressive legacy. Advertisement “The loss of Sphen is heartbreaking to the penguin colony, the team, and everyone who has been […]
This Is The Roundest Thing On The Planet. Why Did Anyone Bother To Make It?
There are a few ways to answer the question, “What is the roundest thing in the world?”, and which one you go for likely depends on your level of scientific knowledge and nous. For those of us not too comfortable with physics, for example, the natural response will probably be along the lines of, “What […]
IFLScience The Big Questions: How Will The Solar System End?
Our solar system is very stable. Planets, dwarf planets, asteroids, and comets go forth in their orbit without trouble. But it won’t be like this forever. The future of the solar system will have major changes in the Sun and in the planets. We spoke with astronomer Dr Jon Zink to cast our mind’s eye […]
ESA’s JUICE Has Been Successfully Deflected Toward Venus
The European Space Agency’s JUICE mission is on its way to Jupiter, but to get there it needs some help in the form of multiple gravity assists as it flies by various planets. Yesterday it successfully completed its first flyby, but it was not your standard gravitational assist maneuver. For the first time ever, a […]
These Ingenious Weapons May Have Enabled Ice Age Hunters To Kill Mammoths
North American hunter-gatherers may have developed an innovative method for killing Ice-Age megafauna like mammoths, according to the authors of a new study. Rather than throwing spears at their prey, members of the iconic Clovis culture might have used “braced shaft weapons”, or pikes, to inflict catastrophic injuries on their victims. “The key elements of […]
Why Do Cucumbers Come Individually Wrapped In Plastic?
Cucumbers are a berry of many talents: they’re great for your health, they’re a tasty addition to both a salad and a burger, and they terrify kittycats. But while they might be good for us, the discerning shopper may worry that they’re not that great for the planet – after all, they’re almost always sold […]
The Magma Ocean On The Moon Hypothesis Given Credence By Indian Lunar Probe
In August 2023, India became the fourth nation to successfully soft-land on the Moon, putting a lander close to the lunar South Pole, an area of great interest for future human exploration. Chandrayaan-3’s rover Pragyan conducted multiple observations of the terrain around the landing site, and it revealed some very important insights: for example, the […]
The Giant Joro Spider: How Big Are They And Why Are They Spreading?
Joro spiders have a lot about them that might get an arachnophobe’s back up. They can parachute, they can be massive, they have venom, and are spreading far out of their native range. However, they’re also shy, play dead, and can be bested by a turkey baster. Joro spider venom only poses a threat to […]
Long COVID Affects Kids And Teens Too, And We’re Now Starting To Learn How
A study of over 5,300 school-age kids and teens has shed new light on what long COVID looks like in young people. Clear differences were found between younger children and adolescents, and the researchers have now summarized the various indicators of possible long COVID for each group. Advertisement “Our study is one of the first […]
OCTOPUS Act To Ban Octopus Farming Gets 100 Scientists’ Signatures
A letter signed by 100 scientists has been published in the journal Science, asking for congressional support of the “Opposing the Cultivation and Trade of Octopus Produced through Unethical Strategies” Act. Or OCTOPUS Act, for short. The goal: to push through a federal bill that would make it illegal to farm octopuses, and sell meat […]
Humpback Whales Revealed To Be Tool Users, Catching Krill With Amazing Skill
Scientists believe that humpback whales should join the esteemed rank of tool users, along with Homo sapiens, apes, crows, and a variety of other super-smart creatures. Unlike these other clever characters, humpbacks are particularly special because they create the tools themselves and ingeniously adapt them to suit their needs. Advertisement The tools in question are […]
The Real Reason Why Oranges Are Sold In Those Red Net Bags
Have you ever wondered why oranges are often sold in those strange red net bags? Well, it’s a sneaky trick used by food producers and supermarkets to fool your senses and (hopefully) make you buy more fruit. Advertisement A red or orange plastic net around the fruit helps to give the impression that the orange […]
Beautiful New Tarantula Species With Hairy Orange Backside Discovered In The Madrean Sky Islands
New species are discovered all the time – from those that blend in so well with their surroundings that they are hard to spot, to those hiding in the most remote places on Earth waiting to be discovered. Now, in new research, scientists have discovered a new tarantula species in a case of mistaken identity. […]
Elephants Have Whiskers – But Where They Are Might Surprise You
Who doesn’t love a solid, reliable elephant? A favorite of children’s storybooks, endearing for their supposed fear of mice, and endlessly entertaining with those funky trunks. Now, new research has delved deeper into the mouthparts of elephants, helping us to understand more about how they feed and the whiskers they possess. Advertisement The three species […]
Why Mpox And COVID Are Very Different Viral Infections
With the recent declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO) that the clade I mpox outbreak originating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has become a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, it’s easy to get a spooky feeling of déjà-vu. Just over four years ago, the same agency was describing COVID-19 as the […]
Why Are US Toilet Rolls So Much Smaller Than They Used To Be?
To hear older generations tell it, everything was better in the past. Gas cost a few cents a gallon; children respected their elders; toilet paper came with 650 sheets to a roll, and the only thing you had to worry about was the constant existential threat of nuclear apocalypse looming over your head. Advertisement Now, […]
How Large Are Mine Spiders?
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Sulfuric Acid In Venus’ Atmosphere May Be Behind Unexpected Water Distributions
The last several years have shown that there is a lot more to understand about Venus, both present and past. As worlds go, Venus is hellish. A surface temperature high enough to melt lead and a surface pressure like being a kilometer underwater don’t make it homely, plus the clouds that cover the whole planet […]
Fisherman Hospitalized After Being Slapped In The Face By A Whale Tail
A fisherman has been hospitalized after coming face-to-tail with a whale in the waters south of Brisbane, Australia. Advertisement The accident took place about a kilometer (0.6 miles) away from the Tweed Heads bar at around 8:40 am on Sunday, August 18. At the time, the man was fishing with a friend on a small […]
