In 2021, ancient DNA was recovered from a 1.2-million-year-old mammoth tooth – the oldest DNA that had ever been recovered at the time. Not only did this incredible feat push the boundaries of what scientific methods are capable of, but the project also revealed a new lineage in the mammoth family. The genetic material was […]
Why Over 20,000 People Have Vanished In “The Alaska Triangle”
The over-hyped perils of the Bermuda Triangle have become the stuff of modern-day folklore. Fewer people, however, know about the so-called Alaska Triangle, said to be the location of more unsolved missing person cases than anywhere else in the world. The Alaska Triangle is a loosely defined area in the state between the three points […]
Shortlist Of Hilarious Images Revealed For The Comedy Pet Photo Awards
While the world is full of proud pet owners, 25 of the best comedy pet photos have been whittled down into a shortlist of the funniest images of our furry friends. Featuring in the lineup is a flying toy poodle, the canine equivalent of Zorro, and a number of pets who look remarkably similar to […]
Why Do Bananas Turn Brown And How Do We Stop Them?
With 105 million tonnes produced annually, it’s safe to say bananas are one of the world’s favorite fruits (although botanically speaking they are berries, and the “tree” they grow on is actually a herb). While you can eat the skin of this nutritious and versatile snack, their temperamental nature means they’re ripe for only a […]
First Evidence Of Water In The Innermost Part Of A Newborn Star System
Astronomers report the discovery of water in the terrestrial planet-forming zone of nearby star system PDS 70. The observations are an important stepping stone in understanding how planets like Earth formed and where its water – that sustains all life here – came from. PDS 70 is located 400 light-years away. It has at least […]
The Deepest Gold Mine In The World Plunges 4 Kilometers Into The Earth
The deepest mine in the world is the Mponeng gold mine in South Africa, which plunges 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) below the Earth’s surface. It makes for arguably the weirdest commute on Earth as miners working in the base must take a 90-minute elevator ride to work, kitted out with protective clothing and emergency breathing […]
Roadmap To End AIDS Presented In New WHO Guidelines
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released new guidelines describing the role that HIV viral suppression is playing in both improving the health of people living with HIV and stopping the further transmission of the virus. The guidance and accompanying systematic review of the science confirms what has been seen in many studies and what […]
A “Puzzle Box” Of Remains Were Found Stuffed Deep Inside The Rising Star Cave
The Rising Star cave system is a tangle of tunnels located within South Africa’s Cradle of Humankind, which is one of the richest known fossil hominin sites in the world. In 2013, researchers exploring the narrow passages stumbled upon what they believed to be a burial chamber in an area known as Dragon’s Back. Burial […]
What’s Found Under Greenland’s Kilometers Of Ice?
Around 80 percent of Greenland is coated in a thick ice sheet, beneath which lie all kinds of mysteries. Along with long-lost mountains and rocky canyons, the world under Greenland’s ice sheet provides scientists with some invaluable insights into the distant past of our planet. The island of Greenland is the world’s largest island, measuring […]
Homo Naledi Documentary Adds Fuel To Already Heated Scientific Debate
A documentary about the exploration of possibly the most astonishing archaeological site of close human relatives makes the biggest assertions yet regarding Homo naledi, the deeply puzzling species found there. If true, the claims made by the team excavating the site would transform how we see ourselves and our place in the evolutionary tree. Many […]
Skinwalker Ranch – Bastion For The Paranormal Or Hoax?
There is a place in Utah, America, which is a veritable cornucopia of the strange and unusual for those who believe in such things. The so-called Skinwalker Ranch boasts stories of everything from unexplained animal mutilations, monstrous bullet-proof cryptids, and shapeshifting humans to UFOs and even ghosts. It’s a medley of paranormal and paranoid content […]
How Often Should You Be Showering?
In the last few weeks, the debate on how often you should shower has been rearing its potentially unwashed head into the public domain. But how often should you be entering the wet room? People have different bathing routines. In a Vanity Fair video, the castmates all played a game about whether they knew each […]
Silicon Chips Powered By Human Brain Cells Secure National Security Grant
The world has taken one step closer to a biological computing breakthrough, as a research project at an Australian university has secured funding from the country’s National Intelligence and Security Discovery Research Grants Program. The project will see a team attempt to grow 800,000 human brain cells onto silicon chips, with capabilities that could revolutionize […]
Biblical-Era Destruction Of Jerusalem By Babylonians Reconstructed By Ancient Fire Analysis
The destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BCE is considered one of the most important events of ancient times and has left a lasting impact on world religions to this day. However, while the Bible describes how the invaders “set fire to […] all the houses of Jerusalem,” scientists are only now beginning […]
People Are Just Learning How Asparagus Actually Grows
Asparagus is a pretty famous vegetable as vegetables go, notorious for giving you green smelly pee. But now the humble spears have reached popularity again as people are just learning how these little green stalks actually grow. For those not in the know, the genus Asparagus contains around 300 species but the best known is […]
Long COVID Is Still Affecting Some People’s Brains Two Years After Infection
New research from Kings College London has shown that people with long COVID symptoms such as brain fog still experience cognitive difficulties two years after their original infection. Since the pandemic, people have been reporting impaired cognitive ability months after being infected with COVID-19. These claims have been made by individuals, but have also been […]
Is It Really Hotter Now Than Any Time In 100,000 Years?
As scorching heat grips large swaths of the Earth, a lot of people are trying to put the extreme temperatures into context and asking: When was it ever this hot before? Globally, 2023 has seen some of the hottest days in modern measurements, but what about farther back, before weather stations and satellites? Advertisement Some […]
China’s Groundbreaking 10,000-Meter Journey Into The Cretaceous System
Scientists in China have begun digging a 10,000-meter (32,808 feet) hole into the Earth, the deepest ever attempted in the country. Digging down through 10 layers of rock, the team hopes to reach rocks from the Cretaceous Period, the layer known as the Cretaceous System, which dates back up to 145 million years. The project, […]
What Is “Sundowning” And Why Does It Happen To Many People With Dementia?
The term “sundowning” is sometimes used to describe a tendency for people living with dementia to become more confused in the late afternoon and into the night. At the outset, I should emphasise the term “sundowning” is overly simplistic, as it’s a shorthand term that can encompass a vast number of behaviours in many different […]
Half A Century After He Hit It, Alan Shepard’s Golf Ball Was Found On The Moon
On February 5, 1971, Apollo 14 touched down on the Moon. As well as equipment for attempting to determine the internal structure of our satellite, and to measure the composition of the lunar atmosphere, the astronauts took with them a six-iron golf club head and some golf balls. The head had been attached to the […]
