News

A tiny ancient human that lived on Luzon Island in the Philippines over 50,000 years ago died at the age of 31, according to a new analysis of the specimen’s teeth. Belonging to the species Homo luzonensis, the miniature hominid was probably less than 1.2 meters (4 feet) tall when fully grown and may have […]

If someone tries to tell you it’s possible to bend reality with your mind, be very wary. If they throw in references to quantum physics to try to make it sound scientific, run. The idea that human will can change the way the world works is an old one. We don’t know how long people […]

A retired anthropologist has revealed a little more about sightings of a Hobbit-like species by the locals of Flores Island. In 2003, archaeologists looking for evidence of the migration of modern humans from Asia to Australia stumbled across a small, fairly complete skeleton of an extinct human species on the Indonesian island of Flores, which […]

An evolutionary instinct that relies on fructose within the brain could drive the development of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study. The results suggest that diet could be influencing the onset of the disease as a result of a foraging instinct, and that consistent fructose intake may be stimulating brain activity that results in […]

Naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber) are famous for a lot of things: their peculiar appearance, being one of only two eusocial mammal species, and having a queen female that is the only member of the colony that breeds. These queens can produce one to five litters per year with an average of 13 pups per litter […]

Phubbing: the act of ignoring the people around you in favor of concentrating on your phone. Be honest, now – how many of us can truly say we’ve never done this? And if you’ve done it, you’ve probably also been annoyed by it. There’s lots of evidence to show that phubbing is not the road […]

Many migratory species use the Earth’s magnetic field to keep their journeys on track. Now a study of a very non-migratory animal, the Drosophila fruit fly, shows the same capacity exists in some unexpected places. Perhaps humans are the rare ones because we don’t have this capability; if so, why? In the quest for survival, […]

It’s super contagious, makes you feel awful, and it’s on the increase. We’re talking about norovirus, the “winter vomiting bug”. Cases of the virus have been rising in recent weeks, in both the US and the UK. But what exactly is it – and, more importantly, how can you minimize your chances of catching it? […]

A giant metal mystery orb recently washed up on the shore of Enshu Beach in Hamamatsu, Japan. The buoy-like object is 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) wide and is being described as an “iron ball” in the press, though exactly what it is remains a mystery at time of writing. Authorities were first made aware of […]

Sidewalks in New York City are absolutely covered in bacteria from dog poop. That’s the not-altogether-surprising finding of a new study, which also makes one very clear recommendation to residents. “Taking your shoes off is a no-brainer,” first author Alessandra Leri told Gothamist. “Shoe soles are disgusting.” Advertisement Leri, along with colleague Marjan Khan at […]

Fans of the fantasy genre are probably used to the idea of special stones or crystals that have formed on ancient dead bodies and boast some sort of mystical property, but did you know there are real necro crystals in the world?  What is vivianite? Vivianite, a rare phosphate mineral (Fe3(PO4)2−(H2O)8) has been found growing […]

An international team of astronomers has estimated the masses of a handful of very distant galaxies observed by JWST, and found themselves with quite a puzzle on their hands. Their masses are too high for being that early in the universe – there isn’t enough gas and enough time to make galaxies that big. “JWST […]

The latest data from the Office for National Statistics suggests that more than 1.2 million people in the UK report living with long COVID for 12 months or more. Several studies have confirmed that symptoms can persist in people with long COVID for more than a year after infection. And long COVID can occur regardless […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]