New research has shown that people with various different mental disorders have increased biological markers of aging, indicating that they are physically aging at a faster rate. People with mental illness typically show more age-related disorders and have shortened lifespans, though research until now has failed to highlight exactly why. While severity varies by individual […]
Australian Firm Obtains Mammoth DNA Sequence, Makes Mammoth Meatballs
A firm in Australia has used the DNA from a mammoth to make mammoth meatballs. Vow hopes that by creating meats from unusual (and extinct) animals, they can start a conversation about these cultured meat alternatives, and tempt people away from traditional meat sources that are no longer sustainable during the climate crisis. To create […]
High Blood Pressure Damages Brain Regions Associated With Dementia, World-First Study Finds
Long-term changes in the brain caused by high blood pressure have the potential to cause cognitive decline, which may progress into dementia. This link has long been observed, but a new study has revealed for the first time how these two conditions could be connected. Scientists used information gathered from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans […]
Twitter Is Likely Worth Half What Elon Musk Paid For It, According To Elon Musk Memo
Last year, Elon Musk purchased social media giant Twitter for $44 billion, before setting in motion a number of changes aimed at increasing revenue. According to a new memo from Musk to his employees, it isn’t really working out that well (yet?), with the platform now worth less than half of what he paid for […]
A Whiff Of Someone Else’s Sweat Could Help With Social Anxiety
Sniffing odors from other people’s sweat could be a helpful tool in the treatment of social anxiety. It may be a little early to start hiding the deodorant from your friends and family, but recent results presented at the European Congress of Psychiatry did suggest that exposure to body odor augmented the positive impact of […]
The Simpsons Predicted The Ridiculous Florida Row About Michelangelo’s David
The Simpsons has been said to predict a number of things, from the Super Bowl (three times) to the building of the Shard in London. Well, according to fans it’s done it again, this time predicting the row currently raging in Florida about whether or not Michelangelo’s “David” is “pornographic”. Last week, Hope Carrasquilla, principal […]
New Water Reservoir On The Moon Discovered In Beads Of Impact Glass
We know there is water on the Moon. Several missions in the last few decades have shown that our natural satellite is not as dry as previously thought. Apart from the region in eternal shadow, water evaporates from the soil during the long lunar day. This suggests that something in the soil holds enough water […]
This Could Be The Best Way To Tell If Someone Is Lying To You
It can be incredibly difficult to tell if you’re being lied to – even so-called “lie detector” machines struggle, as we found out in issue 8 of our e-magazine CURIOUS. Thankfully, a new study has come through with a relatively simple tip to help us discern fact from fiction: look out for lack of detail. […]
Are Kids Ready To Eat Insects?
Producing meat pollutes and requires a lot of space and resources (water, grains…). To protect the planet, we must therefore find new sources of protein. One of the solutions is to replace, at least partially, meat by insects. The problem is that insects, as a food, are rejected by Europeans and North Americans as inedible, […]
Pool of Siloam: The Ancient Site Where Jesus Was Said To Perform Miracles
There’s an ancient rock pool mentioned in the Bible that’s said to have been where Jesus performed one of his most famous miracles. Remarkably, 2,000 years later, parts of these pools can still be seen today in Jerusalem. The historical site of the Pool of Siloam is found in Wadi Hilweh, a neighborhood just south […]
Two Megamouth Sharks Filmed For First Time, And Scientists Suspect They’re Getting Jiggy
Meet the megamouth shark (Megachasma pelagios). Despite being one of the biggest fish in the ocean, this species is famously elusive and little is known about its biology and life history. In fact, there have only been 273 total sightings since 1976 and two megamouth sharks have never been recorded together, until now. On September […]
JWST Dashes Any Hopes Of TRAPPIST-1b Being Potentially Habitable
JWST examined the nearby TRAPPIST-1 system in the hope of detecting atmospheres around its innermost planet, but alas, it seems it did not find one. Although TRAPPIST-1b was never considered a candidate for life, the absence of an atmosphere may be a bad sign for its more temperate neighbors, and for other planets orbiting close […]
If You Smell Strong “Chlorine” In A Pool, You Should Probably Get Out
We regret to inform you that the smell which you call “chlorine” at the swimming pool is not, in fact, just the cleaning agent chlorine. In fact, if it smells too strongly of “chlorine” it might be a good idea to get out of the pool entirely, for it is the result of something called […]
Near Death Experiences Have Tell-tale Signs, This Guy Had Almost All Of Them
Sudden blood loss pushed Kevin Hill to the brink of death, but in a recent interview he revealed what his “near death experience” looked like. They might sound like a thing of movies, but a lot of research has gone into near death experiences, which aren’t hallucinations but something more unusual. “I wasn’t looking down […]
Why Do Humans Keep Inventing The Supernatural?
This article first appeared in Issue 6 of our free digital magazine CURIOUS. There is an old quote by Voltaire that goes “if God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent Him”. Unless all religions, including the ones that specifically rule out the existence of other gods, are correct, then inventing gods is […]
Second Leak At US Nuclear Plant That Sprung 400,000 Gallons Of Radioactive Water
Following a major leak of radioactive water late last year, a Minnesota power plant has now temporarily shut down due to another incident linked to the clean-up operation. The company that runs the nuclear power plant, Xcel Energy, insists that the overall risk is low and the situation is under control. The initial leak at […]
Woman Explains What It Was Like To Fall Into The World’s Most Dangerous Plant
A woman has explained what it was like to fall into one of the world’s most-deadly plants: Australia’s infamous Dendrocnide moroides, more commonly known as gympie-gympie (after the town where it was discovered) or the stinging tree (after what it will do to you with gusto). The plant, a type of nettle, is pretty toxic all […]
Does Everyone Have An Imagination? Find Out In Issue 9 Of CURIOUS – Out Now
Issue 9 (April 2023) of CURIOUS is out now, bringing you science highlights for the month plus deep dives into intriguing topics, interviews, exclusives, diary dates, and explanations for some of Earth’s most perplexing natural phenomena and landscapes. In This Issue… Advertisement OUR COVER STORY: Does Everyone Have An Imagination? And does it matter if […]
The Periodic Table Has Been Sonified And Every Element Sounds Unique
The unique radiation emitted by heated or electrified elements has been converted into sound, enabling us to hear the distinctive chord each element produces. Although the idea has been tried before, advances in technology have now made it possible for a far more complete and subtle sonification of the periodic table. When elements are energized […]
Deep Scattering Layer Had WW2 Navy Questioning Why The Seabed Kept Moving
Deep scattering perplexed sonar technicians during World War 2, as their systems appeared to be telling them that the depth of the seafloor kept changing from day to night. It was later revealed that a peculiar phenomenon that we now know as the deep scattering layer was screwing with their instruments, and it’s an example […]
