There’s no better way to show your respect for a long-dead ruler than by mummifying the head of an animal, and the ancient Egyptians were the masters of this strange form of reverence. Further proof of this remarkable tradition has recently been uncovered at the temple of King Ramesses II, where archaeologists have announced the […]
Global Population May Tumble To Just 6 Billion People By 2100
A new estimate suggests that the world’s population will likely peak in the next few decades and will decline significantly by the end of the century, perhaps slumping as low as 6 billion people. If the work is correct, this will be the first time the global population has seen a decline since the Black […]
What Are Intrusive Thoughts, And Should You Worry About Them?
At some point fairly recently, we’re going to guess you found yourself accidentally imagining a complete stranger in the buff. Did we miss the mark? How about unexpectedly obsessing over whether you left your front door unlocked? Perhaps you even convinced yourself there’d be an intruder waiting for you when you got home. Maybe a […]
Where’s The Best Place To Wait Out A Zombie Apocalypse?
This article first appeared in Issue 6 of our free digital magazine CURIOUS. Allow us to set the scene: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been on the radio (TV is lost to you now), a body-invading pathogen has given rise to a deadly pandemic that causes humans to become bloodthirsty savages. […]
Bird-Brained? Climate Change May Affect Intelligence In Birds
Large brains are a hallmark of human evolution. Brains allow us to make sense of the world and to successfully navigate through our lives. Advertisement Bigger brains are valuable because they provide increased flexibility to deal with everyday problems, allowing them to make better decisions, learn difficult skills and innovate solutions to challenging problems. Large […]
TWIS: People Are Less Satisfied In Marriage If Their Partner Has Social Anhedonia, A Supermassive Black Hole Is Shooting Straight At Us, And Much More This Week
This week, we look at the impact of social anhedonia on marriages, a galaxy has been completely reclassified after a major change and prehistoric artwork depicts a deity with enormous eyes and a wide grin. People Are Less Satisfied With Their Marriage If Their Partner Has Social Anhedonia Married people tend to be less satisfied […]
“Forever Chemicals” Removed From Water Without Toxic Residue In New Method
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals”, are a large family of substances that have an enormous industrial application. They are so widespread that they have started to leach into the environments, and from there to humans and other animals. There are several health risks associated with the accumulation of these substances, […]
The World’s Largest Extinct Geyser Was 4 Times Bigger Than Yellowstone’s Steamboat
For just four years in the early 20th century, New Zealand was host to the largest and most powerful geyser ever seen on the Earth. During its brief life, the dramatic spectacle of the Waimangu geyser attracted tourists from all over, bringing people back to an area that had only recently been marred by tragedy. […]
Astrophysicist Figures Out 17th-Century Astronomer Was Nearsighted By Looking At His Telescopes
An astrophysicist has discovered that 17th-century mathematician and astronomer Christiaan Huygens was likely near-sighted by looking at designs for his telescopes. Huygens, perhaps best known for his study of Saturn’s rings and the discovery of one of its moons, Titan, manufactured his own telescopes. Towards the end of his life, he began trying to figure […]
Rare Complete Ancient Egyptian Zodiac Discovered On Temple Ceiling
An incredible series of relief paintings depicting the signs of the zodiac has been revealed on the ceiling of an ancient Egyptian temple. Known as the Temple of Esna, the site was constructed in honor of the ram-headed god Khnum and was covered with decorative artwork, including one of the most complete Egyptian star charts […]
One Drug Stopped Progression Of Many Types Of Cancer In Small Trial
ATX-101 is an experimental drug designed to kill cells of all types of cancers, while leaving healthy cells untouched. A trial of cancer patients for whom all existing treatments had failed was intended just to test ATX-101’s safety. For many of those participating it appears to have extended their lives, halting the progression of their […]
Was Stonehenge A Giant Calendar? The Truth Is Perhaps More Difficult
Even today, thousands of years after it was built, hundreds of people gather at Stonehenge to witness it align with the Sun on the solstices. While it’s crystal clear that the prehistoric site was built with astronomical alignment in mind, a new study argues that it isn’t the perfect Stone Age calendar it’s sometimes made […]
Army “Telepathically” Controls Robot Dogs In Eerie Video
Shouting orders to your dog is out and telepathically imagining orders to your robot dog is in, after the Australian army has demonstrated a technology in which operators used brain waves to move robot dogs to specific locations using artificial intelligence (AI). Using something that looks similar to a virtual reality headset, a video released […]
How We Know Astrology Isn’t Real
This article first appeared in Issue 6 of our free digital magazine CURIOUS. Astrology (not to be confused with astronomy) still has plenty of fans, some of whom even base major life decisions on planetary movements. Yet it’s also so widely disreputable it’s the most common point of comparison to dismiss something as baseless. However, […]
With 16 Sunsets A Day, How Do Muslim Astronauts Observe Ramadan In Space?
This week was the beginning of Ramadan, the holy month for Muslims around the world. And even out of this world. Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi is currently on the International Space Station (ISS) and this had many people wondering if, and how, the astronaut was going to observe the important period in the Islamic […]
There’s A Depressing Reason For The “Orgasm Gap” Between Heterosexual Women And Men
Women have got the wage gap and the pink tax; are way more likely to die from things like car crashes or medical negligence; and to top it all off, often don’t even get to orgasm the frustration away with any reliability. There’s already plenty of research on the so-called “orgasm gap” – the depressingly […]
Green Disease: Another Illness Laced With Past Misogyny
Between the mid-16th and early 20th centuries, the green disease (also known as chlorosis, lover fever, or virgin disease) was a gendered condition that was placed on young teenage girls who had numerous symptoms and sometimes a greenish tinge or paleness to their skin. It was originally associated with virginity in 1554, when physician […]
Once-In-A-Decade Event As Asteroid Flies By Earth Tomorrow
Discovered just three weeks ago, asteroid 2023 DZ2 is going to fly past our planet tomorrow. It is estimated to have a size between 40 and 90 meters (130 to 295 feet), putting it in the “city killer” size range where an impact could wipe out a city. But worry not, the asteroid will fly […]
1,700 Tons Of DDT Dumped In The Ocean Isn’t Breaking Down
DDT dumped in the ocean between 1940–1960 shows no signs of slowing down as recent investigations have revealed that a layer of the toxic chemical endures on the seafloor off the LA coastline. It dredges up fresh fears about the environmental disaster, as scientists are concerned that the contaminant could shift and move back to […]
Earth Just Got Hit By The Strongest Geomagnetic Storm In 6 Years
A few days ago, the Sun released a massive stream of particles straight at our planet. Space weather experts were expecting a sizable geomagnetic storm following the event, and they lowballed it a bit. The storm is stronger than first anticipated. Actually, it is the strongest in six years, making it the strongest in this […]
