Pompeii’s Eruption Was 32 Hours Of Pure Hell, Trust In Science Remains High Across The World, And Much More This Week

This week, a new analysis puts into question if the COVID-19 lockdowns really did affect the temperature of the Moon, the largest study of its kind suggests that sex differences may be present in the human brain from birth, and scientists were surprised to see chimps exhibiting signs of contagious urination. Finally, we asked palaeontologists what the best dinosaur movie is in their opinion.

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The Volcanic Eruption That Annihilated Pompeii Was 32 Hours Of Pure Hell

When Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE, the scolding lava, ash, and gas that poured from its entrails converted the Roman city of Pompeii into a terrifying snapshot of death and destruction. Two millennia on, researchers have finally recreated a blow-by-blow account of the disaster, revealing exactly how the eruption progressed and dragged the city’s residents into the afterlife over the course of a day and a half. Read the full story here

Trust In Science Remains High Across The World

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been wide-scale concerns that science is experiencing a public trust crisis. The rise of misinformation and conspiracy theories, as well as criticisms from high-profile individuals, has led to the idea that science and scientists have lost the confidence of large numbers of people. However, recent research has demonstrated that this may not be the case; the narrative of a crisis in public trust is not supported by the evidence, the authors of a new study say. Read the full story here

Did COVID-19 Lockdowns Really Affect The Temperature Of The Moon?

Scientists have re-examined the claim that the COVID-19 lockdown affected temperatures on the Moon, finding that they may have dropped a little at the Moon’s surface prior to the pandemic. COVID-19 wrought – and continues to wreak – havoc on Earth. According to a study in 2024, its effects were not limited to our planet; the surface of the Moon may have been indirectly affected by the resulting lockdown. However, a new analysis has challenged this conclusion. Read the full story here

Sex Differences In The Human Brain Observed From Birth In Largest Study Of Its Kind

Structural differences between male and female brains are apparent from the very earliest days of life, according to a new study. The researchers found that even in young babies, female brains have more gray matter and male brains have more white matter, as well as an overall larger volume. But what do these findings actually mean? Read the full story here

Contagious Urination Confirmed In Chimps For The First Time, Surprising Scientists

In chimpanzees, peeing is contagious. That’s the surprising conclusion reached by scientists at Kyoto University who described it as “an unexpected and fascinating result”. They conducted observational studies of chimpanzees at a sanctuary and saw that not only did they exhibit contagious urination, but that it was also more likely among individuals with lower dominance and those physically closest to the instigating urinator. Read the full story here

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Feature of the week:

What’s The Best Dinosaur Movie According To Palaeontologists? We Asked Some To Find Out

At IFLScience, we love a dinosaur movie. If anything, too much (rumor has it Managing Editor Katy Evans even got excited about The VelociPastor). Safe to say, our opinion on the best dino flick can’t be trusted – which is precisely why we decided to scroll our scientist contact list to find out what the best dinosaur movie is according to actual palaeontologists. It turned out to be an intriguing passion project and one that yielded some answers we really weren’t expecting. Read the full story here