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Among its other hellish conditions, Venus is bone dry, despite having once had plenty of water. Where did it all go? A new analysis attributes it to “dissociative recombination”, which caused a loss of hydrogen atoms at twice the rate of previous estimates. Advertisement Science fiction writers once set their works in the oceans of […]

Humans are social animals whose web of relationships is convoluted and often changing. Understanding these social networks and their changes has been the remit of different sciences and various theories. One of them was proposed in the 1940s, called social balance theory. Now, researchers have been able to corroborate it using statistical physics. Advertisement The […]

The southern Plains of the US are now in the midst of “tornado season”, but this year’s peak of violent storms has already brought with it one of the most unusual types of twister – one that spins clockwise. On the evening of April 30, a powerful thunderstorm known as a supercell made its way […]

There are plenty of venomous and poisonous species across the different habitats of Earth. Some slither, some crawl, and some fly through the sky – but one group takes the title as the most venomous species to swim in the planet’s seas. Meet the stonefish. Advertisement The name “stonefish” refers to five species in the […]

Hooray! We bring good conservation news from the world of fish biology. Devils Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis) are one of the world’s most endangered fish species, living in Death Valley National Park. Biologists have recently completed their annual spring season count and recorded the most fish seen in 25 years. Advertisement Devils Hole pupfish live […]

Around 200 million years ago, Earth’s last supercontinent Pangea began to break apart, with plate tectonics slowly moving the continents into the world we recognize today. Plate tectonics is by no means done, and there are several suggested models as to how our future world will look like. Advertisement Plate tectonics were only discovered relatively […]

We all know what happens when a meteorite breaks apart as it passes through the heavens, right? Of course we do. The parts of the celestial object that fall to Earth accumulate as a translucent gelatinous substance that evaporates soon after it appears, leaving no trace of its existence. While this may sound like a […]

If you’ve ever noticed yourself getting a headache just before a storm hits, it might not be a coincidence. In fact, weather conditions are commonly reported as a trigger for headaches and migraine attacks. Unfortunately, it’s not yet within our power to change the weather; but we can help ensure that you’re informed about why […]

Having a permanent human presence on the lunar surface requires being able to use resources found on the Moon – not everything can be brought from Earth. But it is unlikely that the base will be on the hot spot of everything it needs. Some stuff will have to be transported. Cars (well, buggies) on […]

Researchers working on a near-universal coronavirus vaccine that could stop outbreaks before they get started have reported success in mice. The vaccine confers immunity against the original SARS virus, despite it not being one of the viruses used to build it. Advertisement There’s little doubt that plenty of viruses currently circulating in animals will one […]

Certain symbols appear on temple walls at various locations in the ancient city of Dūr-Šarrukīn, where Khorsabad, Iraq, is today. At the time of their creation, the city was ruled by Sargon II, who ruled over the Assyrian kingdom from 721 to 705 BCE. The king was already middle-aged by the time he took the […]

Sometimes, things just don’t mix on their own, and that’s where emulsifiers lend a helping hand – particularly when it comes to food. However, recent chatter about ultra-processed foods and the additives involved has caused some to question whether emulsifiers might actually be harmful to our health. So what does science say? What are emulsifiers? […]

This week, the best preserved Neanderthal skeleton in over 25 years was discovered in a “funeral cave”, alpaca sex is so strange it’s never been seen in any other mammal, and we now know why a giant hole appeared in Antarctic sea ice eight years ago. Finally, we explore what Earth would be like if […]

The European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter has observed the incredible behavior in the Sun’s lower atmosphere like never before. The Sun’s corona is an ever-changing landscape with a range of fascinating features, from “moss” to “rain”. The new footage is providing a front seat to the currently active Sun. Advertisement In previous videos of the […]

Diet fads come and go, but some stick around longer than others. One example is the so-called “Paleo diet” which, as the name suggests, tries to emulate the high protein and low carb diets prehistoric hunter-gatherers were assumed to have. However, new research suggests that at least some Palaeolithic humans subsisted on mostly plant-based diets […]

Providing stimulation for your pet can be one of the most engaging things you can do as an animal owner, whether it be exercise, puzzle games, or toys to entertain your furry friend. Parrots have been found to enjoy video calling other parrots as a way to beat loneliness, but now further research has found […]

On Monday, NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams will launch aboard Boeing Starliner – the partially reusable commercial vehicle that will bring people from the United States to the International Space Station (ISS) and other locations in low-Earth orbit, such as future private space stations. Advertisement The Monday test is the third and final […]

This is a very important public service announcement: flour can explode. Yes, we are talking about that stuff you keep in the room where you’re most likely to find fire. Thankfully, you probably don’t need to panic about your kitchen going up in flames, but it still pays to know about the dangers of dust […]

Oh, so you’ve been trekking in the Himalayas, hiked the Inca Trail, and completed the Camino de Santiago. Big whoop. Why don’t you put your bipedal status to proper use and go for a real walk? You could even give what is claimed to be the world’s longest stroll a try. Setting off from L’Agulhas […]

The ozone hole over Antarctica grows and closes up again each year – having a hole at all isn’t ideal, but scientists know roughly when to expect it. However, its appearance is now persisting later and later into the year, which according to a new study, could present a danger to the wildlife on the […]