Like a cuckoo laying its eggs in the nest of an unsuspecting host, the ancient Greeks are said to have infiltrated the city of Troy by hiding inside an enormous wooden horse. From Homer to Hollywood, the tale of this military masterstroke has been told for thousands of years, yet there’s little evidence to suggest […]
People Are Confused Why We Can’t Feel Our Motion Through The Solar System And Galaxy
The Earth is currently moving around the Sun at around 107,000 kilometers per hour (66,500 miles per hour), while the Sun hurtles through the galaxy at 828,000 kilometers per hour (514,500 miles per hour). Advertisement We know this through centuries of observing the planets and the stars, and observing their motion relative to our planet. […]
Where Did Venus’s Water All Go? We Might Have An Idea
Among its other hellish conditions, Venus is bone dry, despite having once had plenty of water. Where did it all go? A new analysis attributes it to “dissociative recombination”, which caused a loss of hydrogen atoms at twice the rate of previous estimates. Advertisement Science fiction writers once set their works in the oceans of […]
Your Enemy’s Enemy Really Is Your Friend – According To Physics!
Humans are social animals whose web of relationships is convoluted and often changing. Understanding these social networks and their changes has been the remit of different sciences and various theories. One of them was proposed in the 1940s, called social balance theory. Now, researchers have been able to corroborate it using statistical physics. Advertisement The […]
Incredibly Rare Tornado Spinning In “Wrong” Direction Hit Oklahoma, Surprising Meteorologists
The southern Plains of the US are now in the midst of “tornado season”, but this year’s peak of violent storms has already brought with it one of the most unusual types of twister – one that spins clockwise. On the evening of April 30, a powerful thunderstorm known as a supercell made its way […]
Meet The Most Venomous Fish In The World
There are plenty of venomous and poisonous species across the different habitats of Earth. Some slither, some crawl, and some fly through the sky – but one group takes the title as the most venomous species to swim in the planet’s seas. Meet the stonefish. Advertisement The name “stonefish” refers to five species in the […]
One Of The World’s Rarest Fish Has Best Breeding Season For 25 Years
Hooray! We bring good conservation news from the world of fish biology. Devils Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis) are one of the world’s most endangered fish species, living in Death Valley National Park. Biologists have recently completed their annual spring season count and recorded the most fish seen in 25 years. Advertisement Devils Hole pupfish live […]
Animation Shows The Possible Formation Of Our Next Supercontinent
Around 200 million years ago, Earth’s last supercontinent Pangea began to break apart, with plate tectonics slowly moving the continents into the world we recognize today. Plate tectonics is by no means done, and there are several suggested models as to how our future world will look like. Advertisement Plate tectonics were only discovered relatively […]
“A Certain Mucilaginous Substance”: What Is The Mysterious Star Jelly?
We all know what happens when a meteorite breaks apart as it passes through the heavens, right? Of course we do. The parts of the celestial object that fall to Earth accumulate as a translucent gelatinous substance that evaporates soon after it appears, leaving no trace of its existence. While this may sound like a […]
Are Pressure Headaches Before A Storm A Real Thing?
If you’ve ever noticed yourself getting a headache just before a storm hits, it might not be a coincidence. In fact, weather conditions are commonly reported as a trigger for headaches and migraine attacks. Unfortunately, it’s not yet within our power to change the weather; but we can help ensure that you’re informed about why […]
The First Railway On The Moon Might Happen Next Decade
Having a permanent human presence on the lunar surface requires being able to use resources found on the Moon – not everything can be brought from Earth. But it is unlikely that the base will be on the hot spot of everything it needs. Some stuff will have to be transported. Cars (well, buggies) on […]
Experimental Proactive Vaccine Protects Mice Against Known Coronaviruses And Those To Come
Researchers working on a near-universal coronavirus vaccine that could stop outbreaks before they get started have reported success in mice. The vaccine confers immunity against the original SARS virus, despite it not being one of the viruses used to build it. Advertisement There’s little doubt that plenty of viruses currently circulating in animals will one […]
Mysterious Assyrian Symbols May Represent Constellations, Spelling Out Ancient King’s Name In The Stars
Certain symbols appear on temple walls at various locations in the ancient city of Dūr-Šarrukīn, where Khorsabad, Iraq, is today. At the time of their creation, the city was ruled by Sargon II, who ruled over the Assyrian kingdom from 721 to 705 BCE. The king was already middle-aged by the time he took the […]
Emulsifiers In Our Food – What Are They, And Are They Safe?
Sometimes, things just don’t mix on their own, and that’s where emulsifiers lend a helping hand – particularly when it comes to food. However, recent chatter about ultra-processed foods and the additives involved has caused some to question whether emulsifiers might actually be harmful to our health. So what does science say? What are emulsifiers? […]
Orangutan Seen Treating A Wound With A Medicinal Plant In World-First, T. Rex May Have Been A “Smart Giant Crocodile”, And Much More This Week
This week, the best preserved Neanderthal skeleton in over 25 years was discovered in a “funeral cave”, alpaca sex is so strange it’s never been seen in any other mammal, and we now know why a giant hole appeared in Antarctic sea ice eight years ago. Finally, we explore what Earth would be like if […]
Solar “Moss” And Coronal “Rain” Captured In Incredible New Close-Up Video Of The Sun
The European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter has observed the incredible behavior in the Sun’s lower atmosphere like never before. The Sun’s corona is an ever-changing landscape with a range of fascinating features, from “moss” to “rain”. The new footage is providing a front seat to the currently active Sun. Advertisement In previous videos of the […]
Some Palaeolithic People Had Plant-Rich Diets, Challenging Meat-Heavy Fad Diet Claims
Diet fads come and go, but some stick around longer than others. One example is the so-called “Paleo diet” which, as the name suggests, tries to emulate the high protein and low carb diets prehistoric hunter-gatherers were assumed to have. However, new research suggests that at least some Palaeolithic humans subsisted on mostly plant-based diets […]
Parrots Video Calling Their Friends To Prevent Loneliness Prefer A Live Chat
Providing stimulation for your pet can be one of the most engaging things you can do as an animal owner, whether it be exercise, puzzle games, or toys to entertain your furry friend. Parrots have been found to enjoy video calling other parrots as a way to beat loneliness, but now further research has found […]
How To Watch The First Ever Crewed Launch Of Starliner Next Week
On Monday, NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams will launch aboard Boeing Starliner – the partially reusable commercial vehicle that will bring people from the United States to the International Space Station (ISS) and other locations in low-Earth orbit, such as future private space stations. Advertisement The Monday test is the third and final […]
Flour Can Explode, And It’s Important That You Know That
This is a very important public service announcement: flour can explode. Yes, we are talking about that stuff you keep in the room where you’re most likely to find fire. Thankfully, you probably don’t need to panic about your kitchen going up in flames, but it still pays to know about the dangers of dust […]
