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Carbon-monocoque Toyota Tacoma 4×4 RV is a mini explorer yacht on land
TruckHouse keeps things light but comfortable with a single-piece carbon-reinforced composite camper module. TruckHouse View 9 Images – By C.C. Weiss 2021 Jan 12 – Even with the launch of options like the Hiatus Camper, Toyota-based 4×4 mini-RVs have a way of leaving our …
Why 1.2 billion people share the same 100 surnames in China
If you stop a random person on the street in China, there’s a pretty good chance their surname would be either Wang, Li, Zhang, Liu or Chen. – By Jessie Yeung, CNN 2021 Jan 16 – That’s because those are the five most …
Snoek may just be the fastest velomobile you can buy
Once in production, the Snoek should sell for about €8,000 (US$9,663). Velomobiel.nl View 5 Images – By Ben Coxworth 2021 Jan 15 – Although velomobiles are known for being faster than bicycles, some of the more “practical” models can be rather ungainly. That doesn’t …
That time private US media companies stepped in to silence the falsehoods and incitements of a major public figure … in 1938
Father Coughlin’s bully pulpit. Fotosearch/Getty Images – By William (Bill) Kovarik, Professor of Communication, Radford University 2021 Jan 15 – In speeches filled with hatred and falsehoods, a public figure attacks his enemies and calls for marches on Washington. Then, after one particularly …
Two-thirds of Earth’s land is on pace to lose water as the climate warms – that’s a problem for people, crops and forests
Cape Town residents queued up for water as the taps nearly ran dry in 2018. Morgana Wingard/Getty Images – Author: Yadu Pokhrel, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University Contributor: Farshid Felfelani, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Michigan State University 2021 Jan …
Dostoevsky warned of the strain of nihilism that infects Donald Trump and his movement
A Trump supporter climbs scaffolding in an effort to breach the U.S. Capitol. Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images – By Ani Kokobobo, Associate Professor of Russian Literature, University of Kansas 2021 Jan 13 – Nihilism was notably cited during U.S. Senate deliberations after …
CityQ is like a four-wheeled electronic-drive ebike
The CityQ has four 20-inch wheels … but no chain, belt drive or derailleur. CityQ View 3 Images – By Ben Coxworth 2021 Jan 08 – Ebikes may indeed require less pedalling effort than regular bicycles, but most still offer little in the way …
Snakes spotted forming “lassos” to climb in surprising new videos
Biologist Bruce Jayne holding a brown tree snake, which have now been discovered climbing in never-before-seen ways. Joseph Fuqua II/UC Creative + Brand View 3 Images – By Michael Irving 2020 Jan 11 – Scientists have observed snakes using an entirely unknown way of …
Conservative, rebellious, culture-defining: A brief history of the headscarf
Credit: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images – Written by Amber Nicole Alston, CNN 2021 Jan 08 – Few accessories have lived as complicated a life as the headscarf. The versatile fabric has been chosen by and impressed upon people for political, religious and practical purposes …
‘Kulning’: A hypnotic Swedish singing tradition
Singers of this ancient form of Swedish herd-calling corral farm animals with haunting melodies, drawing in cows, goats, sheep and ducks with each hypnotic note. – By Justin Calderón 2021 Jan 07 – Skallskog is a secluded farm without running water or electricity …
A Brief History of Peanut Butter
The bizarre sanitarium staple that became a spreadable obsession. Veteran food critic Florence Fabricant has called peanut butter “the pâté of childhood.” (Dan Saelinger) – By Kate Wheeling Smithsonian Magazine 2021 Jan/Feb – North Americans weren’t the first to grind peanuts—the Inca beat …
The History of Violent Attacks on the U.S. Capitol
While the building has seen politically motivated mayhem in the past, never before has a mob of insurrectionists tried to overturn a presidential election. An illustration of the British burning Washington in 1814 (Library of Congress via Wikicommons) – By Nora McGreevy SmithsonianMag.Com …
Neanderthal child’s skeleton buried 41,000 years ago may solve long-standing mystery
A researcher from the Musée d’Archéologie Nationale in France examines material from excavations of La Ferrassie Neanderthal site in southwestern France. Thousands of bone remains were sorted and 47 new fossil remains belonging to a Neanderthal child were identified. – By Katie Hunt, …
Judge rejects Panamá Papers law firm’s libel case against Netflix over ‘The Laundromat’
The First Amendment ruling is Mossack Fonseca’s latest legal stumble against the streaming giant. Jurgen Mossack (left) is played by Gary Oldman, and Ramón Fonseca (right) is played by Antonio Banderas in The Laundromat. – By Will Fitzgibbon January 4, 2021 – A …
As Understanding of Russian Hacking Grows, So Does Alarm
Those behind the widespread intrusion into government and corporate networks exploited seams in U.S. defenses and gave away nothing to American monitoring of their systems. Legal prohibitions on the National Security Agency bar it from surveilling networks inside the United States. Credit…T.J. Kirkpatrick …
British Bird-Watcher Discovers Trove of 2,000-Year-Old Celtic Coins
The cache dates to the time of warrior queen Boudica’s revolt against the Romans The coins are worth an estimated £845,000, or roughly $1,150,000 USD. (Treasure Hunting magazine via Facebook) – By Isis Davis-Marks SmithsonianMag.Com 2020 Dec 31 – This September, a British …
How to help dogs and cats manage separation anxiety when their humans return to work
Pets can develop separation anxiety when their people are suddenly gone. Jairo Alzate/Unsplash, CC BY – By Lori M Teller Clinical Associate Professor, Veterinary Telehealth, Texas A&M University 2020 Dec 28 – When one of my co-workers found out about a tiny, orphaned …
Squatters issue death threats to archaeologist who discovered oldest city in the Americas
Squatters reportedly belonging to one family claim site of 5,000 year-old ruins was given to them in the 1970s. The Huanca monolith in the Caral archaeological complex. Photograph: Ernesto Benavides/AFP/Getty Images – By Dan Collyns in Lima @yachay_dc 2021 Jan 03 – Illegal …
‘Calvin and Hobbes’ said goodbye 25 years ago.
Here’s why Bill Watterson’s masterwork enchants us still. The final “Calvin and Hobbes” strip, by Bill Watterson, published 25 years ago this week — departing in peak form. (Bill Watterson/Andrews McMeel Syndication) – By Michael Cavna 2020 Dec 31 – “A new year…a …
Prebiotics are hard to stomach, but will your gut thank you for trying?
Since you’re seeking the indigestible, whatever it is usually has to be raw – unless it’s an onion. ‘Underripe bananas are a surprise source of prebiotics.’ Makeup and hair: Sarah Cherry. Wardrobe: My Gym Wardrobe. Photograph: Kellie French/The Guardian – By Zoe Williams …
That time physicist John Wheeler left classified H-bomb documents on a train
The whereabouts of the documents remains a mystery to this day. In 1953, the eminent physicist and H-bomb advocate took an ill-fated overnight train from Philadelphia to Washington, DC, that would indirectly lead to the Robert Oppenheimer security hearing. Michail_Petrov-96/iStock/Getty Images – By …
How real is the threat of prosecution for Donald Trump post-presidency?
Legal threats range from investigations into his business dealings in New York to possible obstruction of justice charges – but all come with a political cost. Main image: Surrounded by Army cadets, Donald Trump watches the first half of the 121st Army-Navy Football …
How to outsmart your COVID-19 fears and boost your mood in 2021
It’s all about emotion. Charles Postiaux/Unsplash, CC BY-ND – By Laurel Mellin – Laurel Mellin is a Friend of The Conversation. Associate Professor Emeritus of Family & Community Medicine and Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco 2020 Dec 28 – After a year …
How Your Digital Trails Wind Up in the Police’s Hands
Phone calls. Web searches. Location tracks. Smart speaker requests. They’ve become crucial tools for law enforcement, while users often are unaware. Illustration: Tracy J. Lee; Getty Images – By Sidney Fussell 2020 Dec 28 – Michael Williams’ every move was being tracked without …
How the Federal Reserve literally makes money
The Fed is ‘making’ a lot of money. Alex Wong/Getty Images – By William J. Luther, Assistant Professor of Economics, Florida Atlantic University 2020 Jun 10 The Federal Reserve has vowed to provide up to US$2.3 trillion in lending to support households, employers, …
The best sci-fi/fantasy TV and film coming in 2021
Years in the making, 2021 will finally see the first adaptation of Issac Asimov’s seminal sci-fi classic, Foundation. Apple TV View 11 Images – By Rich Haridy 2020 Dec 28 – The next 12 months promise a huge assortment of treats for fans of …
KSTAR fusion device maintains 100 million degrees for record 20 seconds
KSTAR, the so-called “Korean artificial sun,” has set a record for maintaining plasma at temperatures over 100 million °C. Michel Maccagnan – Own work, (CC BY-SA 3.0) – By Darren Quick 2020 Dec 28 – While harnessing the power of the Sun has progressed …
How Venetians Invented Health Care
Venice’s small footprint, dense population, unusual governmental structure, and its devotion to trade was a unique combination that fostered innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity. – By Meredith F. Small 2020 Dec 06 – When Venetians invented quarantine in 1348, the government proclamation was based …
Talking mummies and time travel rules: Strangest science stories of 2020
New Atlas revisits some of 2020’s strangest science stories. prometeus/Depositphotos View 9 Images – By Michael Irving 2020 Dec 26 – Curing cancer is a noble goal and all, but sometimes scientists just want to see what happens when you give octopuses ecstasy. From …
12,000-Year-Old Rock Drawings of Ice Age Megafauna Discovered in Colombian Amazon
Archaeologists on the ERC project LASTJOURNEY have discovered spectacular rock pictographs in three separate rock shelters in the Guaviare Department of Colombia. The drawings, made around 12,600 and 11,800 years ago, provide proof the Amazon rainforest’s earliest human inhabitants lived alongside now-extinct Ice …
The science behind snowflakes
A snowflake is a small weather feature that can pack a big punch. – By Allison Chinchar, CNN meteorologist 2020 Dec 23 – Many are made up of just one single ice crystal while some, more elaborate snowflakes are comprised of as many …
Museum specimens could help fight the next pandemic – why preserving collections is crucial to future scientific discoveries
Behind the scenes, natural history museums store biological samples from the field. Ryan Stephens, CC BY-ND – By Jocelyn P. Colella, Assistant Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Assistant Curator of Mammals, University of Kansas – Bryan McLean, Assistant Professor of Biology, …
Christmas Across Indian Country, During the Pandemic and Before
“Hogan in the Snow,” ca. 1985. Painted by Robert Draper (Diné , 1938–2000). Chinle, Navajo Nation, Arizona. 26/6481 (National Museum of the American Indian) – By Dennis Zotigh 2020 Dec 22 – The introduction of Christianity to the original peoples of the Americas …
After Luanda Leaks, a billionaire’s empire falls, but her enablers carry on
While Isabel dos Santos and her advisers face multiple investigations, accountability for the offshore industry remains elusive. Isabel dos Santos. Image: Daniel Rodgrigues/Bloomberg via Getty Images – By Will Fitzgibbon 2020 Dec 07 – The jolt of energy delivered to the anti-corruption movement …
Omnidirectional robot shoots out treats for home-alone pets
Rocki is remotely controlled over the internet, by pet owners viewing real-time video from the robot’s camera. Rocki – By Ben Coxworth 2020 Dec 21 – Earlier this year, we heard about a pet-entertaining/treat-dispensing robot known as Pumpkii. Although its crowdfunding campaign was cancelled, …
5 ways MacKenzie Scott’s $5.8 billion commitment to social and economic justice is a model for other donors
The philanthropist is giving away billions of dollars quickly to help people like these Floridians seeking donated food. Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images – By Elizabeth J. Dale, Assistant Professor of Nonprofit Leadership, Seattle University 2020 Dec 16 – The author and philanthropist …
Why do different countries have different electric outlet plugs?
It doesn’t fit! AndreyPopov/iStock via Getty Images – By Theodore J. Kury, Director of Energy Studies, University of Florida 2020 Dec 21 – Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to …
Llamas are having a moment in the US, but they’ve been icons in South America for millennia
Llamas In a pen, Pasajes, Tarija, Bolivia. Insights/Universal Images Group via Getty Images – By Emily Wakild, Professor of History and Director, Environmental Studies Program, Boise State University 2020 Dec 18 – With their long eyelashes, banana-shaped ears, upturned mouths and stocky bodies …
Was Jesus really born in Bethlehem?
Why the Gospels disagree over the circumstances of Christ’s birth. A doll representing the infant Jesus in St. Catherine’s, the Franciscan church in the town of Bethlehem. David Silverman/Getty Images – By Rodolfo Galván Estrada III, Adjunct Assistant Professor of the New Testament, Fuller …
Facebook Is a Doomsday Machine
The architecture of the modern web poses grave threats to humanity. It’s not too late to save ourselves. https://cdn.theatlantic.com/assets/media/video/upload/facebookdoomsday2.mp4 – Story by Adrienne LaFrance 2020 Dec 15 – The Doomsday Machine was never supposed to exist. It was meant to be a thought …
Carbon-monocoque Toyota Tacoma 4×4 RV is a mini explorer yacht on land
TruckHouse keeps things light but comfortable with a single-piece carbon-reinforced composite camper module. TruckHouse View 9 Images – By C.C. Weiss 2021 Jan 12 – Even with the launch of options like the Hiatus Camper, Toyota-based 4×4 mini-RVs have a way of leaving our …
Why 1.2 billion people share the same 100 surnames in China
If you stop a random person on the street in China, there’s a pretty good chance their surname would be either Wang, Li, Zhang, Liu or Chen. – By Jessie Yeung, CNN 2021 Jan 16 – That’s because those are the five most …
Snoek may just be the fastest velomobile you can buy
Once in production, the Snoek should sell for about €8,000 (US$9,663). Velomobiel.nl View 5 Images – By Ben Coxworth 2021 Jan 15 – Although velomobiles are known for being faster than bicycles, some of the more “practical” models can be rather ungainly. That doesn’t …
That time private US media companies stepped in to silence the falsehoods and incitements of a major public figure … in 1938
Father Coughlin’s bully pulpit. Fotosearch/Getty Images – By William (Bill) Kovarik, Professor of Communication, Radford University 2021 Jan 15 – In speeches filled with hatred and falsehoods, a public figure attacks his enemies and calls for marches on Washington. Then, after one particularly …
Two-thirds of Earth’s land is on pace to lose water as the climate warms – that’s a problem for people, crops and forests
Cape Town residents queued up for water as the taps nearly ran dry in 2018. Morgana Wingard/Getty Images – Author: Yadu Pokhrel, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University Contributor: Farshid Felfelani, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Michigan State University 2021 Jan …
Dostoevsky warned of the strain of nihilism that infects Donald Trump and his movement
A Trump supporter climbs scaffolding in an effort to breach the U.S. Capitol. Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images – By Ani Kokobobo, Associate Professor of Russian Literature, University of Kansas 2021 Jan 13 – Nihilism was notably cited during U.S. Senate deliberations after …
CityQ is like a four-wheeled electronic-drive ebike
The CityQ has four 20-inch wheels … but no chain, belt drive or derailleur. CityQ View 3 Images – By Ben Coxworth 2021 Jan 08 – Ebikes may indeed require less pedalling effort than regular bicycles, but most still offer little in the way …
Snakes spotted forming “lassos” to climb in surprising new videos
Biologist Bruce Jayne holding a brown tree snake, which have now been discovered climbing in never-before-seen ways. Joseph Fuqua II/UC Creative + Brand View 3 Images – By Michael Irving 2020 Jan 11 – Scientists have observed snakes using an entirely unknown way of …
Conservative, rebellious, culture-defining: A brief history of the headscarf
Credit: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images – Written by Amber Nicole Alston, CNN 2021 Jan 08 – Few accessories have lived as complicated a life as the headscarf. The versatile fabric has been chosen by and impressed upon people for political, religious and practical purposes …
‘Kulning’: A hypnotic Swedish singing tradition
Singers of this ancient form of Swedish herd-calling corral farm animals with haunting melodies, drawing in cows, goats, sheep and ducks with each hypnotic note. – By Justin Calderón 2021 Jan 07 – Skallskog is a secluded farm without running water or electricity …