What if the raw power of lava could be transformed into the building material of the future? That’s the bold idea being toyed with by Arnhildur Pálmadóttir, owner and founder of the firm s.ap architects in Reykjavík. ADVERTISEMENT Their latest endeavor, Lavaforming, is a hypothetical design project exploring whether lava from Iceland’s volcanoes could be used […]
Lake Berryessa’s Giant “Glory Hole” Finally Sees Some Action After 5-Year Dry Spell
They say if you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you. Visitors to Napa County, California, can put that theory to the test because – good news! – Lake Berryessa’s glory hole is back in action. ADVERTISEMENT That’s the Morning Glory Spillway, to be exact: a massive, swirling drain at Monticello Dam […]
Dark Energy Might Be Changing – This Is What It Means For Our Understanding Of The Cosmos
The universe is expanding at an accelerated rate and our current best theories to explain this is a mysterious form of energy called “dark energy” that by its very existence is pushing the universe to expand with acceleration – although we don’t really know what dark energy is. For the last several decades, the leading […]
The First Giant Land Organism May Require A New Branch On The Tree Of Life
Since Prototaxites were discovered in the fossil record in 1843, scientists have debated whether they were early land plants, giant fungi, algae, or a whole new kingdom of life. Some of these options have already been ruled out, and they’re now widely considered to have been a type of fungus. However, one species of Prototaxites has […]
Unusual Snowy Owl With Orange Feathers Is An “Owldorable” Mystery
Birders in Michigan are scratching their heads over unusual photos of a snowy owl. The animal is perfectly perched on a telegraph pole, but instead of snow white and black feathers, the owl’s feathers are colored orange. ADVERTISEMENT Spotted in Huron County, the bird was photographed by amateur wildlife photographer Julie Maggert. Since sharing the […]
Does Turning Eggs Upside Down Really Keep Them Fresh For Longer?
If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that chickens don’t belong on boats. That being the case, it’s sometimes said that sailors can keep their eggs fresh on long voyages by storing them with the pointy side down – but is there any solid science behind this yolk tale? ADVERTISEMENT As far […]
Spectacular Spirals In The Sky Over Europe Traced To Classified SpaceX Mission
People across Europe were pretty confused last night, after a giant blue swirl appeared in the sky, lasting several minutes. Rather than a UFO or an ambiguous sign from a vengeful god, the spiral pattern is believed to have been caused by the launch of SpaceX’s classified NROL-69 Mission. ADVERTISEMENT “On Monday, March 24 at […]
Greenland’s Coastline Has Grown By 1,620 Kilometers In Two Decades – And Not For A Good Reason
Greenland has expanded its rocky coastline by approximately 1,620 kilometers (~1,000 miles) within just two decades. While countries typically gain new land through military conquests, territorial treaties, or land reclamation projects, Greenland’s expansion has occurred in a far more sobering way: the relentless melting of its glaciers. ADVERTISEMENT As a result of warming temperatures, glaciers […]
Controversial Study Claims To Have Generated Electricity From The Earth’s Rotation
A controversial new study has claimed that it is possible to generate electricity using the Earth’s rotation, its magnetic field, and a surprisingly simple device. If replicated, that could be pretty interesting indeed, but for now some physicists are rightly a little skeptical of the results. ADVERTISEMENT Whether electricity can be generated using Earth’s rotation […]
Caves In The US That Glow Under UV Light Could Help Us Find Life On Ice Worlds
Wind Cave, South Dakota, has interesting minerals, but is ill-suited for life, being too far underground for sunlight to reach. Yet its glowing colors revealed by black light could assist the search for life on other worlds, cave researchers have argued. ADVERTISEMENT Professor Joshua Sebree of the University of Northern Iowa led a team of […]
Arrow’s Impossibility Theorem: Is Democracy Doomed?
Democracy, if Winston Churchill is to be believed, is the worst form of Government – except for all the other forms that have been tried. That tells us two things: that sometimes, you have to make do with the least bad option, and that Churchill was no mathematician. ADVERTISEMENT Why? Well, had the statesman been […]
Tutankhamun May Have Invented The “Awakening Of Osiris” Ritual
Objects found in the tomb of Tutankhamun indicate that the Boy King was the first pharaoh ever to undergo a funerary rite designed to re-animate his mummified body in the afterlife. Known as the Awakening of Osiris, the ancient ritual sought to facilitate the deceased ruler’s transformation into Osiris, the god of the underworld, thus […]
Bats’ Bullshit Detectors Mark First Time Hallmark Of Advanced Cognition Recognized In Bats
If your friend starts screaming, but you can see them standing in front of you just fine, your response probably wouldn’t be the same as if they were in another room. That’s because you have the cognitive capacity to marry up the auditory information with visual information, combining them to accurately assess the threat and […]
Watch The Moon Take A “Bite” Out Of The Sun In Partial Solar Eclipse This Week
Get those eclipse glasses ready! Later this week, many areas in the Northern Hemisphere will witness a partial solar eclipse. At no point will the Sun’s disk be completely covered, so to witness the celestial event you need to make sure you use the right protection. ADVERTISEMENT The event will happen on March 29 in […]
An Iceberg Detached From Antarctica, Revealing A Never-Before-Seen Ecosystem Of Deep Sea Life
A “beautiful, thriving ecosystem” has emerged from the shadows after an iceberg the size of Chicago splintered off Antarctica, revealing a seafloor teeming with life. Once hidden beneath an icy ceiling, this newly exposed world is home to an array of weird and wonderful life forms, including icefish, giant sea spiders, and octopuses. ADVERTISEMENT The […]
New Absolutely Enormous Tree Species Discovered In Tanzania – And It Might Live For 3,000 Years
You’d have thought scientists would know about all of the extremely large tree species out there by now given that they’re, y’know, frickin’ huge. But as the discovery of a brand new, absolutely massive, and long-lived species of tree in the mountains of Tanzania makes clear, even giants can be good at hiding. ADVERTISEMENT The […]
Crocodile Vs Alligator: Watch Two Giant Reptiles Get Into A Brawl In South Florida
An alligator and a crocodile have been filmed getting into a tussle in (where else) South Florida. Fortunately, no reptiles were harmed in the making of this video, although a few nasty hisses and snaps were exchanged. ADVERTISEMENT The two giant crocodilians were seen scuffling on March 19 along a sidewalk in Everglades National Park […]
NASA Changes Artemis Promise To “Land The First Woman” On The Moon Following Trump Executive Order
The Artemis program, NASA’s highly anticipated plan to get humans back on the Moon, might be changing. For years now, its stated goal has been to “land the first woman, first person of color, and first international partner astronaut on the Moon using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before.” […]
Curiosity Finds Record-Breaking Organic Molecules On Mars Possibly Formed From Fatty Acids
The Curiosity rover has found the largest organic molecules yet discovered on Mars within a Cumberland mudstone in Gale Crater. The mudstone is 3.7 billion years old, which is when the molecules, or their chemical predecessors, were first formed, so whatever made them is long gone. Molecules like this are made on Earth both through […]
Why You Shouldn’t Store Half-Full Open Cans Of Food In Your Refrigerator
Beware, bean fans and lovers of tinned fish. It might be tempting to put your half-empty can of food in the refrigerator to save for a later date, but there’s a good reason to avoid this habit. ADVERTISEMENT The biggest concern is metal leaching, a process where the can’s metallic material seeps into your food […]
