In 1977, NASA launched the Voyager probes to study the Solar System’s edge, and the interstellar medium between the stars. One by one, they both hit the “wall of fire” at the boundaries of our home system, measuring temperatures of 30,000-50,000 kelvin (54,000-90,000 degrees Fahrenheit) on their passage through it. There are a few ways […]
Shark Got A Hole In It? All-New Classification System Can Tell You Why
It’s a hard life, being a shark. You’re already fighting off extinction at all hours; you’re working against a 50-year-old bad rap that’s left millions of people convinced you’re a soulless ocean psychopath; and everything from orcas, to humans, to those same humans’ tiny pets, think you’re little more than a swimming snack-in-waiting. And to […]
Why Was Crossing The Rubicon (A Pretty Pathetic River) Such A Big Deal?
“Crossing the Rubicon” is a way of saying “no turning back”, a decisive action to take control of your destiny and pass a point of no return with unstoppable resolve. But getting across the Rubicon itself is a pretty easy feat, physically speaking, so why does this idiom have so much weight? The Rubicon still […]
First-Ever Documented Reports Of Galapagos Sharks Using Manta Rays As Mobile Cleaning Stations
Lots of animals like to keep themselves clean and free of nasty parasites and old skin cells. However, given most species’ lack of hands or opposable thumbs, these itchy creatures have to find something else to use. Previously, whales have been seen with seaweed masks or even rolling around in sandy shallows, but now researchers have […]
Viking Woman And Her Pet Dog Discovered In 1,000-Year-Old Boat Burial
The remains of a Viking woman and what was presumably her pet dog have been unearthed in a ceremonial boat grave on an island in Northern Norway. The small dog appears to have been placed at the woman’s feet “with real care”, archaeologist Anja Roth Niemi told Science Norway, something which, while not completely unprecedented, […]
Bach-To-Bach Classical Music Can Make Plants Grow Better
What do you do if the greens in your garden just won’t grow? Well, it might be time to dust off your old radio and crank the dial to the nearest classical radio station, because according to some recent research, a bit of Bach could help plants grow heavier and leafier. In a study published […]
NASA Observations Suggest Asteroid 2024 YR4 Now Has 1-In-23 Chance To Hit The Moon In 2032
An asteroid discovered last year and briefly thought to be a threat to Earth has a 1-in-23 chance of hitting the Moon, according to updated NASA estimates based on JWST data. Asteroid 2024 YR4 was first discovered on December 27, 2024. Astronomers have been keeping a close eye on it ever since, as initial observations […]
Gold Coins Among The San José, AKA “World’s Richest Shipwreck,” Confirm Its Identity
A wealth of treasure onboard the “world’s richest shipwreck” is starting to be revealed. Marine archaeologists and the Colombian Navy have recently been studying the sunken remains of a ship that’s hoped to be the 18th-century Spanish galleon San José. Not only did their work confirm it was the famous ship, but it’s starting to […]
Emperor Penguins Could Be Disappearing Faster Than Even Our Worst Fears
The results of a new analysis into the decline of emperor penguins are in, and they aren’t good. Using satellite imagery, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) says that their numbers appear to have dropped by 22 percent over a 15-year period, from 2009 to 2024. This decline is only based on one region of the […]
Is This The End Of The “Gates Of Hell” In Turkmenistan?
The “Gates of Hell” have been furiously burning away in Turkmenistan for decades, but scientists now have reason to believe that it’s giving up the ghost. Officially known as the Darvaza gas crater, or the Shining of Karakum, this infamous site is a massive pit filled with fiercely burning flames, casting an orange glow across […]
Franz Reichelt And The Eiffel Tower Wingsuit Incident Of 1912
Here’s something to reassure anyone thinking of getting into extreme sports: Every activity and dangerous sport, apart from something we’re looking at introducing known as white water zorbing, has been tried at least once before by some daredevil. For example, the first parachute jump was performed on October 22, 1797, when André-Jacques Garnerin, from France, […]
First-Ever Footage Of An Incredibly Rare Squid Shows Battle Scars From The Deep
A squid that had previously never been seen alive has been captured on camera by scientists working in the Southern Ocean. Gonatus antarcticus is an incredibly rare deep-sea squid that, as its name would suggest, is only found in freezing Antarctic waters. It made its first live appearance on Christmas day thanks to a fortuitously […]
The “State Of Nature”, An “Idiot”, And “Tragic Story Bingo”: The Changing Face Of Feral Children
Since almost the dawn of civilization itself, humanity has been fascinated by those who live outside of it. We’ve told each other tales of Enkidu, the wild man who must slowly be introduced to the modern world of ancient Mesopotamia; of Romulus and Remus, the children suckled by a she-wolf, who, legend has it, would […]
FAA Chief Promises “No More Floppy Disks” Will Be Used In Air Traffic Control In Major Overhaul
US air traffic control systems are to get an upgrade, finally ending the use of 30-year-old operating system Windows 95, and dispensing with floppy disks and paper strips in the process. On Wednesday, June 4, the acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) informed the House Appropriations Committee that they were to begin replacing […]
Ed The Zebra’s Escape Escapade Ends With Undignified Helicopter Flight
After just over a week on the run, Ed the zebra has finally been caught. The rebellious equine caused quite a stir with his escape antics, shutting down highways, inspiring memes, and even gathering adoring fans across the world when being airlifted to safety. The story began on May 31, just one day after Taylor […]
New Group Of Critically Endangered Douc Langurs Found Hidden In Vietnam Highlands
With a recorded total population speeding towards fewer than 2,000, the critically endangered gray-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix cinerea) is one of Vietnam’s rarest primates – but the discovery of a new population in the country’s central highlands has brought hope that there could be more out there. The previously unknown group was found in Khe […]
People with Intersex Traits Transcend History and Cultures
In the US alone, the American Civil Liberties Union is currently tracking more than 500 pieces of legislation aimed at the LGBTQ community, which in some instances can include people with intersex traits. Intersex is a broad categorization of people with anatomical, genetic, or hormonal variations that do not fit the typical “male” or “female” […]
We May Finally Understand How Paracetamol – AKA Tylenol® – Actually Works
Almost everybody has reached for paracetamol at one time or another. Otherwise known as acetaminophen, and often just by brand names like Tylenol® or Panadol®, the drug is a staple of household medicine cabinets, used for everything from headaches to fevers to period pain. It’s so common, in fact, that it will probably surprise you […]
The Ordovician Mass Extinction
IFLScience needs the contact information you provide to us to contact you about our products and services. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For information on how to unsubscribe, as well as our privacy practices and commitment to protecting your privacy, check out ourPrivacy Policy Deborah BloomfieldSource Link: The Ordovician Mass Extinction
Scientists Make First-Ever Airborne Detection Of Toxic Chemical In Western Hemisphere
Over the fields of Oklahoma, a little-known, toxic, organic pollutant has been reported for the first time. Its impacts are currently unknown, but researchers believe it’s something that governmental agencies should keep a close eye on. Chemists at the University of Colorado Boulder were recently toying around with high-tech instruments in Oklahoma with the hopes […]
