Almost a year ago, NASA’s DART mission slammed into asteroid Dimorphos, the moon of the larger asteroid Didymos. The goal was to move the asteroid to a different orbit, and the shift was successful – the asteroid shifted way more than expected. New research suggests that, inexplicably, the orbit continued to change for a month […]
This Is What Cannabis Looks Like Under A Microscope – You Might Be Surprised
Ever wondered what cannabis looks like up close and personal? This study has you covered, revealing what the plant looks like under a microscope. Not only has the research created some imagery fit for a stoner’s phone background, but it’s also provided some insights into the structures that help give cannabis its psychoactive properties and […]
IFLScience The Big Questions: Are E-Fuels The Future Of Aviation?
As much as everyone enjoys flying abroad for their holidays, the cost of the climate impact might be making people think twice. So what can we do? Aside from paying to offset the carbon, the emergence of a new industry is hoping to change the way we fly. Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) or e-fuels are […]
How Scientists Managed To Transfer “Memories” Between Snails
Back in 2018, scientists achieved something that still sounds unbelievable today: they “transplanted” memories from one snail into another. It was a fascinating study in its own right, but it’s also part of a much bigger story: the long-running human quest to understand precisely what memory is and how it works. How the study worked […]
Long-Lost Aztec City Of Tenochtitlan Recreated In 3D
A team of specialists have recreated in stagging detail the Aztec capital city, Tenochtitlan, which once stood as the center of the expanding Aztec Empire until the Spanish invaded in the 16th Century. For the first time in hundreds of years, we are now able to see what this incredible city looked like before it […]
Cystic Fibrosis Therapy & Photon Ring Quest Win At The Breakthrough Prizes This Year
The 2024 Breakthrough Prize laureates have been announced, as well as the recipients of the New Horizons and Maryam Mirzakhani New Frontiers Prizes. The so-called “Oscars of Science” are the world’s largest international science prize and this year awarded $15.75 million in total. The five mainstage prizes (3 in life sciences, 1 in fundamental physics, […]
For First Time, Crows Have Been Found To Use Statistical Inference To Make Decisions
Crows are highly intelligent members of the corvid family, and while they may be easily confused with ravens, a recent study has revealed that they are capable of using statistical inference. Statistical inference in this instance is where previous experience of choosing something influences that chance of making that choice again. In humans, it […]
We’ve Breached Six Of The Nine “Planetary Boundaries” For Sustaining Human Civilization
The Earth’s ability to support large-scale human societies is in danger of expiring thanks to our continued reliance on environmentally destructive practices. According to an alarming new study, we’ve now transgressed six of the nine “planetary boundaries” that delineate the upper limits of damage that the Earth can take while continuing to provide hospitable living […]
Gene Critical To Blood Origin And Production Identified
Blood is critical, loose too much and you probably will be knock-knock-knockin’ on heaven’s door. Despite this life source being so critical, little is actually known about some aspects of blood production. Now, a research team has discovered it is all to do with the SOX17 protein interacting with the gene Raspin1. One protein that […]
Will The World Run Out Of Water?
In decades to come, water scarcity is pitted to become one of the biggest problems facing the world. Shortages of freshwater are set to spring up across the world, fueled by unsustainable use, pollution, population growth, and runaway climate change. But could it really reach a breaking point where there’s simply no water left? The […]
How Complex Organic Molecules Form In Interstellar Space
Building blocks for life have been found in meteorites, apparently having formed without the benefits of the complex chemistry planets can support. The Earth may have been seeded with the necessary ingredients this way. Evidence of some of these complex organic molecules has been found in the vast gaps between the stars. Now lab-based studies […]
1,000-Year-Old “Alien Mummies” Revealed To Mexican Congress, But Not Everyone Is Convinced
These are exciting times for anyone with a vague interest in finding alien life. The JWST has detected evidence of methane, carbon dioxide, and water in the atmosphere of exoplanet K2-18b. More excitingly, it may have found dimethyl sulfide, a gas which is only produced on Earth by lifeforms. We will have to wait for […]
What To Expect When You Adopt A Shelter Pet, According To Scientists
If you’re looking to adopt a new furry friend, a new study has revealed what can be expected in the first six months of owning a dog from a shelter. Around 2 million dogs are adopted from shelters in the US each year. However, owners can sometimes be faced with unexpected changes in their new […]
Women Who Have Just Had A Baby Are More Likely To Experience Pareidolia
Women who have recently given birth are more likely to experience pareidolia than other women, a new study has found. The team had conducted previous research on pareidolia, the phenomenon of seeing familiar patterns in objects. They found in a previous study that illusory faces seen in everyday objects were more likely to be perceived […]
Your Cremated Remains Can Be Transformed Into A Diamond – Here’s How
If you like the idea of staying glitzy long after your death, it’s possible to turn your Earthly remains into a sparkling diamond. Diamonds are made of pure carbon that has been arranged in a crystal. Most were formed between 1 and 3 billion years ago, deep below the Earth’s surface under intense heat and […]
Winners Of Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2023 Are Truly Out Of This World
The winners of the Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2023 have been announced, and the images are as stunning as ever. An unexpected plasma arc, galactic neighbors, and a unique view of Venus are all among the winning photographs. This year’s competition had over 4,000 entries from 64 countries, but Marcel Drechsler, Xavier Strottner, and […]
What Lives At The Bottom Of The Mariana Trench?
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This Snake Swallows Food Five Times Larger Than Its Own Head
A recent study has identified a snake that’s able to open its mouth wider than any known species of its size. Scared? Well, you should be if you’re an egg. The tiny Gans’s egg-eater puts the colossal Burmese python to shame when comparing maximum gape in relation to body size. The author of the study […]
Largest Ever Family Tree Reveals The Ancestral Home Of Humanity
Almost all of us, if we go back far enough in our family trees, come from somewhere else. Maybe it was your mom or dad; maybe it was a distant ancestor who lived more than twelve thousand years ago, but eventually, you’re going to find someone, at some point, who left their homeland in search […]
Jupiter’s Moon Callisto Has A Lot More Oxygen Than We Can Explain
At last count, Jupiter had 92 moons, so it can be tough to get the spotlight. Especially when you are competing with the likes of Europa, showing off with hints of underground oceans, and possibly letting off massive plumes of water. Callisto, despite being the second-largest of Jupiter’s ridiculous number of moons and the third-largest […]
