This week we spoke exclusively to the astronomers behind a curious phosphene detection deep in Venus’s atmosphere, archaeologists have uncovered a “passage to the underworld” beneath a church in Mexico, scientists are baffled by a 407-milllion-year-old fossilized plant that doesn’t follow the Fibonacci sequence, and we investigate how the very real Antikythera mechanism inspired Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
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Neuroscientist Loses 25-Year Bet With Philosopher About Consciousness
In 1998, neuroscientist Christof Koch placed a bet with philosopher David Chalmers that within the next 25 years, science would discover a signature of consciousness within the brain. Twenty years later, journalist Per Snaprud tracked down the two to see who was on course to win. Read the full story here
Exclusive: More Phosphine Has Been Detected Even Deeper In Venus’s Atmosphere
Three years ago, astronomers announced they had found the molecule phosphine in the clouds of Venus. On Earth, phosphine is linked to biological activity, aka life. What followed was a flurry of excitement and then debate on whether the molecule had really been found. Now, the team has announced further evidence of phosphine not just in the higher atmosphere but all the way down to the clouds. Read the full story here
World’s Hottest Day Record Broken Twice In 3 Days
On Monday, we reported that the Earth’s average temperature had reached a record high, making it the hottest day since measurements began. But that’s now old news having been beaten on Tuesday, and again on Wednesday, as temperatures soared to an average of 17.18°C (62.9°F). Read the full story here
Cavernous “Passage To The Underworld” Found Beneath Church In Mexico
Under a set of church structures in Mexico, archaeologists have uncovered evidence of an underground labyrinth that they suspect was once believed to be an entrance to the underworld. The discovery was made at the archaeological site of Mitla, which is considered to be the most important historical site for the indigenous people of the Zapotec culture. Read the full story here
407-Million-Year-Old Fossilized Plant Bamboozles Scientists By Not Following Fibonacci Sequence
It was previously thought that because the Fibonacci sequence is present in the structure of so many extant plant species, it must have evolved in some of the earliest living plant species. However, an ancient species, one of the first examples of a plant with leaves in the fossil record, has thrown a spanner into the understanding of this by having leaves arranged in such a way that can’t be described by Fibonaaci numbers. Read the full story here
Feature of the week:
Antikythera Mechanism: The True Story Of Indiana Jones’s “Dial Of Destiny”
The fifth Indiana Jones movie revolves around the so-called “Dial of Destiny,” a time-twisting device that, despite having purely nonsensical time-traveling credentials, is actually based on a very real and curious archaeological artifact: the Antikythera mechanism. Read the full story here
Source Link: TWIS: Philosopher Wins 25-Year Bet On Consciousness Against A Neuroscientist, World's Hottest Day Record Broken Twice In 3 Days, And Much More This Week