In the late evening of March 28, 2023, the Sun emitted a strong solar flare. This event caused some limited and temporary radio interference – and, in some cases, blackouts – on the Sunlit part of the planet. At the time, the area included Asia and Oceania. The flares were an X-class: the strongest class […]
Strange Cosmic Object That Defies Classification Spotted by Hubble
A lot of science is about classification, but sometimes you encounter things that push the limits of those categories, displaying multiple distinctive characteristics at once. This is the case of Z 229-15, a galaxy that couldn’t just embody one of our arbitrary classifications, it had to do three in one. The European Space Agency does […]
Greenland Has Changed Its Clocks For The Last Time, Embracing Daylight Savings Forever
Greenland has just changed its clocks for the last time. Having just put its clocks forward one hour last weekend, instead of going back to its winter time this October, it will remain in a perennial Daylight Saving Time, permanently changing its time zone. After consultation with the people of Greenland – an autonomous territory […]
Rare Video Of Wombats Having Sex Sideways Offers A Glimpse Into The Bizarre Realm Of Animal Reproduction
If you look at where wombats deposit their poo, you realise they must be able to perform some surprising acrobatics. It has always amazed me to see wombat scats on top of grass tussocks or logs, because I’ve always wondered how the stocky creatures must have manoeuvred themselves to put it there. It turns out […]
Video Of Strawberry Under A Microscope Is Here To Ruin Your Day
One Twitter user has posted a video of a strawberry under a microscope, in case anybody was having a good day that needs ruining. Why, you ask? Well, we don’t want to spoil the surprise, but it’s because of all the tiny bugs crawling around on there. Advertisement One user responded “can’t trust fruit who’s […]
Childhood Dementia: What Causes It And What Does The Science Say?
They’re two words you might never think to put together, but the sad truth is that childhood dementia affects an estimated 700,000 young people across the world. In many ways, the condition mirrors the various types of dementia that we’re familiar with in adults; but the unusual causes, not to mention the age of the […]
Cockroach Sex Is Evolving And We’re To Blame
Years of human-imposed selection, such as the use of insecticide baits, have led some cockroaches to develop an aversion to glucose – which has had an unusual impact on their sex life. Recent research has shown that male cockroaches have adapted their mating strategies to compensate, demonstrating a link between behavioral evolution and sexual selection. […]
The First Known Piezoelectric Liquids Have Been Discovered
Over 140 years after piezoelectricity was discovered, the first piezoelectric liquids have now been found by chance. Not only could they outperform solid piezoelectric materials in some existing uses, but they may also open up entirely new applications we’re yet to imagine. Some crystals and other materials accumulate electric charge when pushed, a phenomenon known […]
The Most Distant Detection Of Hot Gas Heralds The Birth Of A Cluster Of Galaxies
Astronomers have determined the presence of extremely hot gas in a cluster of galaxies being born. The team reported that the whole system of gas, galaxies, and dark matter is about 100 trillion times the mass of the Sun. Most of this mass is in the gas within this nascent cluster, which has been heated […]
This Is What It’s Like To Be Dumped By A Dark Triad Personality
Getting dumped by a Dark Triad personality may be a little messy. Those with Dark Triad traits are more likely to use manipulation and escalation when breaking things off, and some may be more inclined toward open confrontation, according to a recent study. The Dark Triad refers specifically to three personality traits: narcissism, Machiavellianism, and […]
6,000-Year-Old Copper Fishhook For Catching Sharks Discovered In Israel
Shark may have been on the menu for the ancient inhabitants of the Levant thanks to the invention of large copper fishhooks, a new discovery suggests. Having recently discovered one of these remarkable pieces of prehistoric tackle, researchers are now re-telling the story of how the occupants of this historic region lived, fished, and ate […]
An Unknown Multi-Billionaire May Have Been Found Inside US Tax Data
It’s probably not that often that you pore over the US Treasury’s daily reports of financial transactions and come away with anything other than a feeling of intense boredom. But looking at data from February 28, 2023, associate director of budget analysis at the Penn Wharton Budget Model John Ricco found something intriguing: a payment […]
Three New Hydrothermal Vents Found, And They’re Shrimply Stunning
Stunning videos shared on Twitter have revealed three new-to-science hydrothermal vents found on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. At a depth of 3,740 meters (12,270 feet), the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s new research vessel Falkor (too) came across the vents, and videos were shared by biologist and deep-sea explorer Joan Alfaro. It’s the first scientific mission for Falkor […]
The Human Lifespan May Have A Limit – But We’re Nowhere Near It Yet
Does the human lifespan have a limit? New statistical research looking to answer this age-old question has concluded that if there is a maximum limit to the human lifespan, we’re currently not close to reaching it. Estimations of the maximum human lifespan have been growing throughout recorded history. The Hebrews of the late Bronze Age […]
Exclusive: Patagotitan, One Of Earth’s Largest Dinosaurs, Has Landed In Europe For The First Time
One of the largest dinosaurs ever to walk the Earth was discovered by chance. In 2010, a worker at La Flecha Ranch in Patagonia, Argentina, spotted an enormous dinosaur bone poking out of the ground. Flash forward 13 years, and that pivotal dig site has given rise to the star of Titanosaur: Life As The […]
California’s About To Get Hit By A Supershroom
California is about to be hit by a mushroom superbloom (step aside, poppies) as the heaviest rains of the region’s winter get fungi feeling frisky. Soon, the Golden State will be the Moldy State, as the fruiting bodies of many fungi species push through the dirt following heavy showers brought on by atmospheric rivers. Hikers […]
First Case Of Human Infection By Silverleaf Fungus That Usually Infects Trees
Doctors have reported the first case of a human infection by Chondrostereum purpureum. The fungus causes the disease silver leaf in plants, which causes the leaves of an infected tree branch to turn a silvery color, before killing the branch. A 61-year-old patient from the eastern region of India sought medical attention for a number […]
City Of The Caesars: Legend Speaks Of A Fantastical City In Patagonia
Legend has it that the rugged land of Patagonia in the southernmost strip of the Americas is home to a long-lost kingdom known as the City of the Caesars. Like many of the tales of mysterious ancient cities in the Americas, there’s no substantial evidence this place ever existed. With that said, new imaging technology […]
When You Get A Blood Transfusion, Does It Matter What Sex The Donor Is?
A recent tweet by author JK Rowling, suggesting that receiving transfusions of blood from donors of the opposite sex leads to poorer outcomes (and higher numbers of fatalities), has been met with criticism by several scientists and members of the medical community. “It was recently discovered that those given transfusions of blood from the opposite […]
Brightest Cosmic Explosion Humanity Has Ever Seen Was Seventy Times Previous Record
High energy photons probably originating from the birth of a black hole briefly changed the Earth’s upper atmosphere last year, despite occurring billions of light years away. A set of papers delving into the explosion astronomers dubbed the BOAT (Brightest Of All Time) reveal it far outshone anything we’ve seen before, and was accompanied by […]
