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45,000-year-old human genomes reveal extent of Neanderthal interbreeding
Archeologists excavate Bacho Kiro Cave in Bulgaria, where three modern human specimens were found to have recent Neanderthal DNA. MPI-EVA/ Nikolay Zaheriev – By Michael Irving 2021 Apr 11 – Two new genetic studies have shed light on just how often our ancestors got …
Are mass shootings an American epidemic?
Police stand near the scene where multiple people were shot at the FedEx Ground facility on 2021 Apr 16, in Indianapolis. AP Photo/Michael Conroy – By Lacey Wallace, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, Penn State 2021 Mar 29 — Updated 2021 Apr 16 …
Ancient “Monkeydactyl” dinosaur bears the oldest known opposed thumbs
Artist’s impression of Monkeydactyl, or Kunpengopterus antipollicatus. Chuang Zhao – By Nick Lavars 2021 Apr 12 – It’s a common view that opposable thumbs are a key feature that distinguishes us from most other species, but a flying reptile that clambered through the trees …
Prolonged brain dysfunction in COVID-19 survivors: A pandemic in its own right?
COVID-19 survivors face not only physical symptoms. A large study recently showed that their mental health is affected, too. FG Trade/Getty Images – By Chris Robinson, Assistant Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University of Florida 2021 Apr 15 – One in three survivors …
What inspired digital nomads to flee America’s big cities may spur legions of remote workers to do the same
The pandemic has spurred many workers to contemplate their futures – and whether they ever want to return to office life. Edward Hopper, ‘Morning Sun’ (1952) via hermien_amsterdam/flickr, CC BY-NC-SA – By Rachael A. Woldoff, Professor of Sociology, West Virginia University and By …
BPA-like chemicals likely causing “alarming” damage to brain cells
Plasticizers like BPA and BPS are used commonly in plastic products, and research is continuing to illustrate the risk they pose to human health. billiondigital/Depositphotos – By Nick Lavars 2021 Apr 13 – Controversy has shrouded the once-common plasticizer BPA since studies started …
How many states and provinces are in the world?
There are so many different states – and provinces, districts, regions and lander! Getty Images – By Vasabjit Banerjee, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Mississippi State University 2021 Apr 12 8.27am EDT – Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. …
Why you should expect more Suez-like supply chain disruptions and shortages at your local grocery store
A Target in Sheridan, Colorado, was very low on paper towels in November 2020. AP Photo/David Zalubowski – By Nada R. Sanders, Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain Management, Northeastern University 2021 Apr 08 – When the Ever Given container ship choked off traffic …
What Happens to Your Eyes When You Stare at Screens All Day
Photo: Tero Vesalainen (Shutterstock) – By Beth Skwarecki 2021 Apr 01 – 1:30PM – We spend a lot of time staring at screens. There’s the small screen in our pocket, the big screen we watch our shows on, and the medium screen that …
Some of Europe’s Oldest-Known Modern Humans Are Distantly Related to Native Americans
Genome sequencing shows some individuals share family ties with surprising populations, and all boast plenty of Neanderthal relatives. Scientists excavate bones in the Bacho Kiro Cave in Bulgaria. Four modern human bones were recovered from this layer along with a rich stone tool …
Segway announces ultra-futuristic Apex H2 hydrogen-powered motorcycle
The outrageous Segway Apex H2 – a hydrogen-hybrid sports motorcycle – By Loz Blain 2021 Apr 08 – Segway-Ninebot has rather sensationally announced that it’s building a hydrogen fuel cell sportsbike – and boy does this thing look like it glitched its way …
Sea level rise is killing trees along the Atlantic coast, creating ‘ghost forests’ that are visible from space
Ghost forest panorama in coastal North Carolina. Emily Ury, CC BY-ND – By Emily Ury, Ph.D. Candidate, Duke University 2021 Apr 06 – Trekking out to my research sites near North Carolina’s Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, I slog through knee-deep water on …
This Insect Has Plant DNA in Its Genome
Whiteflies have a gene only found in plants that appears to allow the tiny insects to withstand plants’ chemical defenses A tiny, aphid-like whitefly sitting on a leaf. (Jixing Xia and Zhaojiang Guo) – By Alex Fox SmithsonianMag.Com 2021 Mar 30 – A …
The US needs a macrogrid to move electricity from areas that make it to areas that need it
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s Pine Tree Wind Farm and Solar Power Plant in Tehachapi, Calif., 115 miles from LA. Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images – By James D. McCalley, Professor of Electrical Engineering, Iowa State University …
Volkswagen Beetle – the game-changing People’s Car
Postwar Beetle built for the British army. Volkswagen – By David Szondy 2021 Apr 02 – The last Volkswagen Beetle rolled off the line in 2003 after more than six decades in production. One of the great game-changing automobiles, the quirky little sedan emerged …
This Wooden Sculpture Is Twice as Old as Stonehenge and the Pyramids
New findings about the 12,500-year-old Shigir Idol have major implications for the study of prehistory. Hunter-gatherers in what is now Russia likely viewed the wooden sculpture as an artwork imbued with ritual significance. (Sverdlovsk Regional Museum) – By Nora McGreevy SmithsonianMag.Com 2021 Mar …
Ancient tools suggest humans spread across Eurasia earlier than previously thought
A selection of tools found at the Mongolian site Tolbor-16. UC Davis – By Michael Irving 2019 Aug 19 – The story of human history is patchy at best, but now another patch may have been filled in. Archaeologists have found ancient tools at …
Thanks to a Genetic Mutation, These French Rabbits Prefer Handstands to Bunny Hops
The unusually acrobatic sauteur d’Alfort rabbits were first discovered in France in 1935. By the time sauteur d’Alfort rabbits are a few months old, they learn how to walk on their front paws to accommodate their uncoordinated back legs. (Carneiro M et al., …
Progeria: New treatment could extend lives of children with ‘premature aging’ syndrome
The new treatment targets the underlying genetic cause of the disease. Progeria causes “premature aging” in children. Credit: Getty Images – By Alex Berezow 2021 Mar 30 – Progeria is an “accelerated aging” disease that causes children to die of “old age” at …
Eye tracking can reveal an unbelievable amount of information about you
The windows of your soul can reveal an extraordinary amount about you, especially when a machine learning algorithm is watching. – hquality/Depositphotos By Loz Blain 2021 Mar 29 – Eye tracking technology is starting to pop up more and more, keeping track of …
Dead bodies keep moving for more than a year after death, new study finds
So much for rest in peace. Image source: live.staticflickr.com – By Mike Colagrossi 2019 Sep 16 – Australian scientists found that bodies kept moving for 17 months after being pronounced dead. Researchers used photography capture technology in 30-minute intervals every day to capture …
The first 3D-printed housing community in the US is being built in the California desert
Developers plan to build 15 3D-printed houses in Rancho Mirage, California. – By David Williams, CNN Updated 7:38 AM ET, Thu – 2021 Mar 18 – Developers in Southern California are building what they say will be the first 3D-printed zero net energy …
U.S. Navy controls inventions that claim to change “fabric of reality”
Inventions with revolutionary potential made by a mysterious aerospace engineer for the U.S. Navy come to light. U.S. Navy ships. Credit: Getty Images – By Paul Ratner 2021 Feb 06 – U.S. Navy holds patents for enigmatic inventions by aerospace engineer Dr. Salvatore …
The hidden fingerprint inside your photos
Image credit: Getty Images – By Jerone Andrews 2021 Mar 24 – They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Actually, there’s a great deal more hidden inside the modern digital image, says researcher Jerone Andrews. – On 2020 Oct 03, the …
Unknown bacteria found living on the International Space Station
The novel species of bacteria could help astronauts grow food in space. Methylobacteriaceae Credit: Aslam Z., Lee C. S., Kim K.-H., Im W.-T., Ten L. N., Lee S.-T. via Wikipedia – By Stephen Johnson 2021 Mar 18 – The bacteria were collected as …
Giant extinct bird brains reveal “extreme evolutionary experiments”
An artist’s impression of Dromornis stirtoni, an extinct creature that was one of the largest birds to ever walk the Earth. Peter Trusler View 5 Images – By Michael Irving 2021 Mar 23 – Australian scientists have studied the biggest bird-brains in history for …
To help insects, make them welcome in your garden – here’s how
An insect-friendly wildflower swath at California State University, Fullerton’s arboretum. TDLucas5000/Flickr, CC BY – By Brian Lovett, Postdoctoral Researcher in Mycology, West Virginia University 2021 Mar 22 – As winter phases into spring across the U.S., gardeners are laying in supplies and making …
Schumann Resonances: Is the Earth’s ‘heartbeat’ influencing human behavior?
Some scientists believe the lightning-produced frequencies may be connected to our brain waves, meditation, and hypnosis. Schumann Resonance. Credit: NASA/Goddard Conceptual Image Lab. – By Paul Ratner 2021 Mar 18 – The Schumann Resonances are a set of frequencies produced by electromagnetic waves …
How Black people in the 19th century used photography as a tool for social change
Jubilee singers at Fisk University, in Nashville, Tennessee, pose for promotional photograph, circa 1871. William L. Clements Library – By Samantha Hill, 2019 – 2021 Joyce Bock Fellow at the William L. Clements Library at the University of Michigan and current graduate student …
Billions of cicadas may be coming soon to trees near you
Periodical cicada in Washington, D.C., 2017 May. Katha Schulz/Flickr, CC BY – By John Cooley, Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut and Chris Simon, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut 2021 Mar 12 – A big …
The Universe Shouldn’t Exist, CERN Scientists Announce
BASE particle physicists have discovered a very precise way to examine antimatter. The Veil Nebula. Credit: By Jschulman555 – Own work, Wikipedia Commons. – By Philip Perry 2017 Dec 21 – Thank your lucky stars you’re alive. It’s truly a miracle of nature. …
Mystery unsolved: ghost ships circling off California
Circle spoofing is an advanced form of GPS manipulation – but nobody knows exactly how, or why. Not really there – and not moving in circles: ‘ghost ship’ patterns off the coast of northern California. Credit: Courtesy of SkyTruth/Global Fishing Watch/Orbcomm/Spire – By …
Tulip mania: the classic story of a Dutch financial bubble is mostly wrong
Floraes Mallewagen (Flora’s wagon of fools): Hendrik Gerritsz Pot, c1640 (photo: Laura Blanchard), CC BY-SA – By Anne Goldgar, Professor of Early Modern History, King’s College London Updated 2018 Feb 12 – Right now, it’s Bitcoin. But in the past we’ve had dotcom …
42 “mystery chemicals” from unknown sources discovered in people
New research highlights the need for chemical manufacturers to be more transparent in reporting how and where chemical compounds are used. Garsya/Depositphotos View 1 Images – By Rich Haridy 2021 Mar 18 – A study from scientists at UC San Francisco is demonstrating a …
‘Oumuamua likely a nitrogen iceberg from an “exo-Pluto” says new study
An illustration of ‘Oumuamua’s pancake-like shape. William Hartmann View 2 Images – By Michael Irving 2021 Mar 17 – A few years ago, astronomers discovered a bizarre object named ‘Oumuamua, which not only defied conventional classification but was the first thing found to be …
Fossilized plants discovered a mile beneath Greenland ice sheet
Scientists have discovered fossilized plants almost a mile under the Greenland ice sheet, which has worrying implications for climate change. sergio_p/Depositphotos View 3 Images – By Michael Irving 2021 Mar 17 – Scientists have made the surprising discovery of fossilized plants 1.4 km …
Growing food and protecting nature don’t have to conflict – here’s how they can work together
Paul and Becky Rogers converted 14 acres of land in Kent County, Mich. to habitat that supports pollinators, songbirds and wildlife. USDA/Flickr, CC BY – By Thomas Hertel, Professor of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University 2021 Mar 09 – Growing food in a sustainable, …
Money for nothing – NFTs spark a new digital gold rush
The 69 million-dollar JPEG: Beeple’s Everydays: the First 5000 days. Beeple View 2 Images – By Loz Blain 2021 Mar 11 – A digital artist called “Beeple” is now one of the top three most valuable artists alive – in any medium – after …
Descendants Of Native American Slaves In New Mexico Emerge From Obscurity
Santo Tomás Catholic Church in Abiquiú, N.M., is the site of an annual saint’s day celebration in late November that includes cultural elements of the Genízaros, the descendants of Native American slaves. John Burnett/NPR – By John Burnett – Twitter 2016 Dec 29 …
Physicists measure the gravitational pull of a ladybug
Researchers have measured the smallest gravitational pull yet – equivalent to about the mass of a ladybug. yellow2j/Depositphotos View 4 Images – By Michael Irving 2021 Mar 11 – Of the four fundamental forces, gravity is the one we’re most familiar with in our …
45,000-year-old human genomes reveal extent of Neanderthal interbreeding
Archeologists excavate Bacho Kiro Cave in Bulgaria, where three modern human specimens were found to have recent Neanderthal DNA. MPI-EVA/ Nikolay Zaheriev – By Michael Irving 2021 Apr 11 – Two new genetic studies have shed light on just how often our ancestors got …
Are mass shootings an American epidemic?
Police stand near the scene where multiple people were shot at the FedEx Ground facility on 2021 Apr 16, in Indianapolis. AP Photo/Michael Conroy – By Lacey Wallace, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, Penn State 2021 Mar 29 — Updated 2021 Apr 16 …
Ancient “Monkeydactyl” dinosaur bears the oldest known opposed thumbs
Artist’s impression of Monkeydactyl, or Kunpengopterus antipollicatus. Chuang Zhao – By Nick Lavars 2021 Apr 12 – It’s a common view that opposable thumbs are a key feature that distinguishes us from most other species, but a flying reptile that clambered through the trees …
Prolonged brain dysfunction in COVID-19 survivors: A pandemic in its own right?
COVID-19 survivors face not only physical symptoms. A large study recently showed that their mental health is affected, too. FG Trade/Getty Images – By Chris Robinson, Assistant Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University of Florida 2021 Apr 15 – One in three survivors …
What inspired digital nomads to flee America’s big cities may spur legions of remote workers to do the same
The pandemic has spurred many workers to contemplate their futures – and whether they ever want to return to office life. Edward Hopper, ‘Morning Sun’ (1952) via hermien_amsterdam/flickr, CC BY-NC-SA – By Rachael A. Woldoff, Professor of Sociology, West Virginia University and By …
BPA-like chemicals likely causing “alarming” damage to brain cells
Plasticizers like BPA and BPS are used commonly in plastic products, and research is continuing to illustrate the risk they pose to human health. billiondigital/Depositphotos – By Nick Lavars 2021 Apr 13 – Controversy has shrouded the once-common plasticizer BPA since studies started …
How many states and provinces are in the world?
There are so many different states – and provinces, districts, regions and lander! Getty Images – By Vasabjit Banerjee, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Mississippi State University 2021 Apr 12 8.27am EDT – Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. …
Why you should expect more Suez-like supply chain disruptions and shortages at your local grocery store
A Target in Sheridan, Colorado, was very low on paper towels in November 2020. AP Photo/David Zalubowski – By Nada R. Sanders, Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain Management, Northeastern University 2021 Apr 08 – When the Ever Given container ship choked off traffic …
What Happens to Your Eyes When You Stare at Screens All Day
Photo: Tero Vesalainen (Shutterstock) – By Beth Skwarecki 2021 Apr 01 – 1:30PM – We spend a lot of time staring at screens. There’s the small screen in our pocket, the big screen we watch our shows on, and the medium screen that …
Some of Europe’s Oldest-Known Modern Humans Are Distantly Related to Native Americans
Genome sequencing shows some individuals share family ties with surprising populations, and all boast plenty of Neanderthal relatives. Scientists excavate bones in the Bacho Kiro Cave in Bulgaria. Four modern human bones were recovered from this layer along with a rich stone tool …