If you’re a living organism, the Atacama Desert is a pretty awful place to be. It is the second driest desert in the world, with the land composed of rocks, dust, salt lakes, and lava that flows over arid surfaces towards the Andes. If anyone was to be shown a photo of it alongside a […]
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Earliest Evidence Of Bronze Age Brain Surgery Discovered In Israel
Two high-status brothers who occupied the Bronze Age city of Megiddo apparently went to extreme lengths to cure a nasty disease that left them with porous bones. Describing the discovery of the siblings’ gnarly remains, the authors of a new study reveal that one of the brothers underwent a type of cranial surgery called angular […]
Earliest Evidence Of European Bows And Arrows Coincides With Excursion Into Neanderthal Territory
The earliest known evidence for mechanically propelled weapons in Europe (most likely a bow and arrow) has been found in southern France, dating back 54,000 years. This breaks the earlier record by 9,000 years. In combination with a previous discovery at the same location it indicates this important technology coincided with the arrival of the […]
Giant New Species Of Extinct Predatory Fish Was The Length Of Five Corgis
A porcupine quill and some careful excavation have enabled researchers in South Africa to identify a new species of enormous predatory fish dating back to around 360 million years ago. It was retrieved from Waterloo Farm in Cacadu District Municipality, Eastern Cape, and is thought to have been almost 3 meters long making it a […]
Watch Mercury Crossing The Sun In Splendid Solar Orbiter Footage
On January 3, 2023, Solar Orbiter witnessed a transit of Mercury. The smallest and innermost planet of our solar system was in front of the Sun from the vantage point of the space mission, which is a collaboration between the European Space Agency and NASA. Researchers used the opportunity to check all the instrumentation on […]
The Reason Why Different Cheeses Have A Smell
Not all cheeses have a strong smell, but you certainly know when you’re dealing with one that does. Whether you love it or hate it, the smell of cheese has a fascinating origin that also makes it taste so good. The more pungent cheeses, such as Époisses, Stinking Bishop or Limburger, tend to be what […]
Huge Winter Storm Is Bringing Extreme Weather To Almost All Of America
The United States is forecasted to endure the extremes of weather in the coming days as a significant coast-to-coast winter storm churns out snow, freezing rains, heavy winds, and possible flash flooding in a weather event that will see “almost all of the country experiencing some form of notable weather” according to the National Weather […]
Our Moon Has Been Slowly Drifting Away From Earth Over The Past 2.5 Billion Years
Looking up at the moon in the night sky, you would never imagine that it is slowly moving away from Earth. But we know otherwise. In 1969, NASA’s Apollo missions installed reflective panels on the moon. These have shown that the moon is currently moving 3.8 cm away from the Earth every year. If we […]
Do Cats Sleep With Their Eyes Open?
Calling all cat owners: have you ever wondered if cats sleep with their eyes open? Perhaps you found your pet snoring while gazing empty-brained at the ceiling, or thought they looked a bit dead when you spotted them slumped with their glassy eyes staring right at you, only for them to bounce back to life. […]
New Hypersonic Missile Engine Could Have Almost Double The Range, Claim Chinese Researchers
Chinese researchers claim to have significantly boosted the efficiency of boron air-breathing engines in a massive breakthrough for hypersonic missiles, according to the state-sponsored South China Morning Post. The new advancements resulted in 79 percent fuel efficiency in ground simulations, giving engines capable of pushing Mach 6 much further range and increasing the viability of […]
Asteroid That Flew Past Earth Is The Most Oblong Known
On February 3, asteroid 2011 AG5 flew past Earth at a distance of 1.8 million kilometers (1.1 million miles). That’s about five times the Earth-Moon distance – far enough to be very safe, but close enough to do some cool science. Goldstone Solar System Radar was used to study the shape, rotation, size, and surface […]
The Link Between Wombat Poo And Lava Revealed
Further investigation into wombats’ unique droppings has revealed a general law of mammalian feces, determining why some animals produce pellets while others make logs – and the work could even have some surprising applications. Among the many features that make wombats wonderful are their droppings, which are so cubic you could almost use them to […]
15-Minute Cities: How To Separate The Reality From The Conspiracy Theory
Conspiracy theories aren’t a new thing, and for as long as they’ve been around they’ve ranged from the benign to the absurd. From the six moon landings being faked to the Earth being flat, or our ruling class being lizards, we’ve all probably come across them in one form or another. Yet, in a surprise […]
Paralyzed Patient Able To Cut Steak Thanks To Spinal Cord Stimulation
Two partially paralyzed patients have successfully executed a range of complex manual tasks, including, for one of the patients, cutting steak and opening a lock, thanks to a neurotechnology that stimulates the spinal cord. Consisting of a pair of electrodes that engage neural circuits within the spine, the device generated immediate improvements in strength, range […]
Stress Is Contagious. Can We Stop The Spread, And Should We Even Try?
We humans are empathic by nature – it’s a fundamental part of how we build relationships with one another. Most people subconsciously mirror the feelings of those around them and try to think the way they must be thinking. When this goes wrong, it can have some pretty alarming effects; but even outside of these […]
The Earth May Have A Core Within Its Core Within Its Core
Like an onion or a set of Russian dolls it seems the there is no end to the Earth’s internal structure. New research indicates the component known as the “inner core” consists of an innermost core and a middle core (still called inner). Although both are probably made of solid iron and nickel, it seems […]
Early Morning College Classes Correlated With Poor Academic Performance, Large Study Finds
A large study has found a correlation that university students might find interesting: early morning classes are correlated with poorer academic performance in students who take them. The study aimed to test whether classes early in the morning were more poorly attended than classes at a less rude time, and whether the classes had an […]
Idaho Bill Looks To Ban mRNA Vaccines – How Do They Work?
Republican lawmakers in Idaho have put forward a bill to ban the administration of mRNA vaccines in the state, encompassing any vaccine that uses the technology but specifically targeting the COVID-19 jabs. The bill would block both current life-saving mRNA jabs and any future developments, including those currently in the pipeline against various cancers. Proposed […]
Lost WWII Submarine USS Albacore Found Over 70 Years After Sinking
The USS Albacore, a submarine deemed on “eternal patrol” since it went missing in World War II, has been found once over 70 years on. The submarine began its service on June 1, 1942, and is credited with sinking 10 enemy vessels during its service, making it one of the most successful submarines of World […]
What Makes Vinyl Chloride So Dangerous To Your Health?
It’s been nearly three weeks since a train came off the rails in Ohio, causing the evacuation of the nearby town of East Palestine and threatening an environment that includes some of the most important waterways in North America. Now, local residents are reporting a range of concerning ailments – symptoms that they fear are […]
