Population genetics indicates that ancestors of modern humans were split into three populations, that only occasionally interbred, for hundreds of thousands of years. These groups then partially recombined to create the humanity that lives today. This places the division and reuniting long before Homo Sapiens’ great migration out of Africa. The human family tree is […]
Hudson Bay Is Sitting On Top Of A Gravity Anomaly
In the Hudson Bay region of Canada, you can experience a strange phenomenon; weighing ever so slightly less than you do anywhere else in the world. It’s not much of a party trick, you would weigh about four-thousandths of a percent less than at the average location on the planet, but the cause is quite […]
How Does Food Get Contaminated? The Unsafe Habits That Kill More Than 400,000 People A Year
Unsafe foods, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), contribute to poor health, including impaired growth and development, micro-nutrient deficiencies, noncommunicable and infectious diseases, and mental illness. Globally, one in ten people are affected by food-borne diseases each year. Antonina Mutoro, a nutrition researcher at the African Population and Health Research Center, explains what causes […]
Video Game Study Shows What People Do When The World Ends
There are few things more difficult than studying the end of the world, and how humanity would react before it. If you try when the world isn’t ending, then you probably won’t get an accurate impression, given that the world isn’t really ending. If you try while the world is actually ending, people won’t be […]
Bone Tools In Neanderthal Cave Hint At Prehistoric Osseous Industry
The recent discovery of over 1,000 bone tools in a Neanderthal cave in Siberia has ignited a debate over whether our extinct cousins were capable of producing utensils from animal skeletons as well as stone. To assess whether this osseous assemblage was a one-off, the authors of an as-yet un-peer-reviewed study looked for similar artifacts […]
Penis Amputation And Seeing Red: What Can Happen If You Take Too Many Boner Pills?
It’s a question as old as boner pills: what happens if I take too many boner pills? Well, a few unfortunate people have learned the hard way. Sildenafil, the drug commonly referred to by the brand name Viagra, is used to treat erectile dysfunction as well as pulmonary hypertension. Extensive trials and follow-up studies have […]
Think You Might Be Dating A ‘Vulnerable Narcissist’? Look Out For These Red Flags
Think you might be dating a ‘vulnerable narcissist’? Look out for Single people are increasingly turning online to find love, with more than 300 million people around the world trying their luck on dating apps. Some find their fairy tale. But for others, stories of online dating have very different endings. Advertisement You may be […]
First Helium Emissions And Radio Signals Found In Type Ia Supernova
For the first time, strong helium emission lines have been found in the spectrum of a Type Ia supernova, proving that the white dwarf that exploded had a helium-rich companion. After decades of debate about what causes this type of explosion, the findings prove that despite the famous consistency in their brightness, they can have […]
Never-Before-Seen Diamonds Found In Canyon Diablo Meteorite From Outer Space
The extreme temperatures and pressures produced when a space rock slams into the Earth can create distinctive materials, such as the shocked quartz used to identify the remains of such events. Arizona’s Canyon Diablo contains diamonds with unusual structures, but scientists have been misinterpreting what makes them special. Very different processes can lead to the […]
Siblings Don’t Always Share 50 Percent Of Their Genes
You’ve probably heard somewhere that siblings share half of their genes with one another. That’s, like, Genetics 101, right? Actually, not quite. Thanks to the randomness of chromosome segregation and a process called recombination, siblings’ genomes are not always 50 percent the same. This figure is actually an average, as Our World in Data researcher […]
Turning Scales Into Feathers Is A Lot Easier Than We Thought
Feathers, scales, spines, and hair are all examples of keratinized skin appendages developed by vertebrates. They are very different from each other, but they share early developmental processes during the embryonic stages. Researchers at the University of Geneva have now worked out that it is surprisingly easy to grow feathers where there should be scales, […]
Oldest Architectural Plans Show How Mysterious Megastructures Were Built
In the deserts of the Middle East, you can find vast megastructures known as desert kites that were carved into the rocky landscape over 8,000 years ago. In a new study, archaeologists have discovered the world’s oldest architectural plans detailing how ancient humans managed to construct these colossal structures. Desert kites were only identified in […]
How Connecting AIs Could Lead to AGI
Artificial intelligence is kind of a big deal. While taking the media and workforce by storm this year with ChatGPT — raising endless debates over the future of creative productivity with image generators like DALL-E 2 and inspiring one startup after another — it’s arguably the most important by humanity to date and some even […]
Humans Aren’t The Only Animal That Love To Get High On Drugs
You might assume that taking drugs is a uniquely human behavior, but there are many members of the animal kingdom that go out of their way to fill their brains with psychotropic substances with the apparent aim of distorting their perception of reality. Getting on it, as scientists like to call it, is a ubiquitous […]
How Does Uranium Power Nuclear Reactors And Bombs?
Nuclear power is a significant source of energy that has been around for several decades. It is considered a sustainable and low-carbon option, making it an essential tool in the fight against climate change. The secret to nuclear power lies in uranium, a naturally occurring element used to fuel nuclear power plants – but it […]
Google To Begin Deleting Certain Accounts For Security, Starting This Year
It’s time to use it or lose it: Google has announced they will be deleting any accounts that have been inactive for 2 years as part of their recent security push. The announcement was made in a blog post outlining how they are attempting to protect users by removing accounts that they deem likely to […]
World Set To Cross 1.5°C Temperature Threshold For First Time In Next Five Years
We are moving closer to crossing the 1.5 °C (2.7 °F) threshold above pre-industrial levels for the global temperature mean, 66 percent likely be exceeded during at least one year of the next five. This is the latest prediction from the World Meteorological Organization – another alarm bell showcasing the seriousness of the climate crisis. […]
These Enormous Spiders Might Be The Shyest We’ve Ever Seen
There’s no two ways about it: jorō spiders look pretty scary. Even if you’re not a confirmed arachnophobe, the sight of this brightly colored beastie with its leg span of up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) would be enough to send shivers up the spine. But what if we told you that these guys are […]
Cold Water Therapy: What Are The Benefits And Dangers Of Ice Baths, Wild Swimming And Freezing Showers?
Immersion in cold water is definitely an activity that divides people – some love it others hate it. But many now practice it weekly or even daily in the belief that it’s good for their mental and physical health. Cold water therapy, as it has come to be known, can take the form of outdoor […]
Long Drive Ahead? Here’s How To Beat “Highway Hypnosis”
Have you ever had the feeling that you’ve zoned out while driving? Ever looked up and seen a sign telling you you’re a few miles closer to your destination, with no memory of how you got there? You could have been experiencing “highway hypnosis”, and it’s worth brushing up on what causes it – and […]
