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Neanderthal and unknown human ancestor DNA found in the “dark heart” of chromosomes
By Michael Irving – Geneticists have discovered some of the most ancient pieces of human DNA hiding in the centromere, the middle section of the chromosome. (Credit: Sasha and Charles Langley). Genes get shuffled and re-dealt with every new generation, meaning many are …
Climate change may cause an increase in squid populations
By Ben Coxworth – Dr. Blake Spady observes one of the squid, which is doing surprisingly well in acidic water. (Credit: Blake Spady). Climate change already appears to be responsible for an overabundance of jellyfish in the world’s oceans, but new research …
Skoda restores 110-year-old sports car – and boy does it look gorgeous
By Loz Blain – This restored 1908 Laurin & Klement BSC is a 110-year-old piece of sports car history. (Credit: Škoda). Czech automaker Škoda is a surprisingly old company: 122 years old, in fact. In its early days, it was called Laurin & Klement, …
“World’s first working thermal battery” promises cheap, eco-friendly, grid-scalable energy storage
By Loz Blain – CCT SEO Serge Bondarenko (left) and COO Graham Warburton (right) with the Thermal Energy Device (TED). (Credit: CCT Energy Storage). South Australia has recently put the world’s biggest lithium battery into operation – but perhaps it should’ve waited. …
Advice to yourself
What advice would you give your younger self? This is the first study to ever examine it. By SCOTTY HENDRICKS – The study asked several hundred volunteers over the age of 30 to describe what they most wanted to tell their younger selves. …
Emotional temperament in babies associated with specific gut bacteria species
By Rich Haridy – A new study is the first to investigate associations between gut microbiome composition and the development of certain behavioral characteristics. (Credit: muro/Depositphotos). A new study from the University of Turku has uncovered interesting associations between an infant’s gut microbiome …
Aston Martin will race a detuned Valkyrie at Le Mans in the new Hypercar class
By Loz Blain – The Aston Martin Valkyrie will race in 2020-21. (Credit: Aston Martin). The Automobile Club de l’Ouest has announced a new top class for Le Mans endurance race – a “hypercar” class that will begin in 2020-21, designed to …
All the President’s Humility: What We Can Learn From Young George Washington
By Peter Stark – The Founding Father whom Americans revere as the incarnation of steady, selfless leadership – George Washington – was, in his early twenties, a remarkably self-centered young man. This poses an interesting question: Can today’s leaders – beginning at the top …
Scottish crannogs may be older than Stonehenge
By David Szondy – Aerial view of islet in Loch Langabhat. (Credit: University of Southampton/Fraser Sturt). Archaeologists from the Universities of Southampton and Reading have determined that some of Scotland’s famous lake dwellings are older than Stonehenge. Called “crannogs,” the little artificial …
World’s first full-body medical scanner generates astonishing 3D images
By Rich Haridy – The new EXPLORER full-body scanner promises faster and more detailed medical imaging. (Credit: UC Davis). After over a decade of development, the world’s first full-body medical scanner has produced its first images. The groundbreaking imaging device is almost …
Explained: The toxic threat in everyday products, from toys to plastic
Thousands of potentially harmful chemicals are in products ranging from electronics to medical equipment and carpets in the US Of the more than 40,000 chemicals used in consumer products in the US, according to the EPA, less than 1% have been rigorously tested …
Scoop stretcher can transform to a lightweight wheelchair in seconds
By Paul Ridden – Studio Rotor and Retter Helfer Medical suggest replacing a scoop stretcher in emergency vehicles with the Multi Scoop Pro, a stretcher that can transform into a wheelchair. (Credit: Studio Rotor). Dutch design firm Studio Rotor has been working with …
What is the massive thing under the Moon’s surface?
A surprise on the far side of the Moon. By Robby Berman – Scientists detect a gigantic, underground, metallic anomaly down a crater on the Moon. “Whatever it is, wherever it came from,” it looks to be billions of years old. It’s probably …
Nuclear fusion breakthrough breathes life into the overlooked Z-pinch approach
By Nick Lavars – The Z-pinch confinement system at the University of Washington. Nuclear fusion holds untold potential as a source of power, but to recreate the colliding atomic nuclei taking place inside the Sun and generate inexhaustible amounts of clean energy scientists …
Ancient marijuana use uncovered in 2,500-year-old tomb
By Rich Haridy – One of the wooden burners found in the Pamir region and analyzed in the current study to reveal the earliest known evidence of burning cannabis with high-THC content. (Credit: Xinhua Wu). A new study has revealed cannabis residue with …
Scientists solve the mystery of hardening arteries, and find solution in a common drug
By Rich Haridy – Uncovering the mechanism by which calcium deposits accumulate on the walls of arteries could help develop new treatments for everything from heart disease to dementia. (Credit: Melinda Duer). A landmark study, led by a team of scientists from …
Cooling effect of zebra stripes observed in the wild for the first time
By Nick Lavars – The reasons for a zebras stripes are far from black and white. Debate has long raged over the reasons for a zebra’s stripes, with scientists spending decades theorizing over the evolutionary causes for the animal’s iconic patterns. A …
Superbug gene that resists “last resort” antibiotics detected in US for the first time
By Michael Irving – A gene known as mcr-3.1 that grants bacteria like Salmonella resistance to “last resort” antibiotics has been detected in a patient in the US. (Credit: katerynakon/Depositphotos). Antibiotics were one of the most important scientific developments of the 20th century, helping …
New experimental drug rapidly repairs age-related memory loss and improves mood
By Rich Haridy – It’s hoped a new drug showing promise for reversing age- and depression-related memory loss will move into human safety testing within the next two years. (Credit: vitstudio/Depositphotos). A team of Canadian scientists has developed a fascinating new experimental drug …
The new Ultima RS hypercar: 1200 horsepower and 250 mph for drivers on a budget
By Loz Blain – The Ultima RS is a 250 mph hypercar you can own for less than some sports cars. (Credit: Ultima Sports). The new top dog Ultima hypercar can compete with multi-million dollar dream machines on nearly every performance metric …
Microneedle patch makes for speedy identification of plant diseases
By Ben Coxworth – The disposable patch gathers genetic material containing both plant DNA, and the DNA of disease-causing organisms. (Credit: NC State University). When farmers find sickly plants in their crops, it’s important that they find out which malady is responsible, as quickly as possible. …
Earth-buzzing comet found carrying “ocean-like” water
By Michael Irving – Comet Wirtanen, which buzzed Earth in December 2018, has been found to harbor “ocean-like” water. (Credit: NASA). Earth is a famously wet planet, but where all that water came from in the first place remains a mystery. The most …
True Grit at 50: the throwback western that gave John Wayne his only Oscar
Released in the same year as The Wild Bunch and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Henry Hathaway’s western was defiantly old-fashioned in comparison. By Scott Tobias – Kim Darby and John Wayne in True Grit. Wayne called Marguerite Roberts’ script the best …
Citroen goes waaaaay out there with bizarre 19_19 touring concept
By Loz Blain – The back end of the Citroen 19_19 concept looks badass. (Credit: Citroen). Is there a Minority Report sequel coming out that we’re unaware of? If so, this concept Citroen’s put together for the VivaTech Paris expo will fit …
Action stations for 2019 Red Bull Illume photography competition
By Darren Quick – Photographer Micky Wiswedel snapped climber Jamie Smith airborne above Cape Town to win the “Wings ” category of the Red Bull Illume Image Quest in 2016. (Credit: Micky Wiswedel/Red Bull Illume). Not so long ago, most photographers had to be selective …
From city to coast: The incredible infrared art of Paolo Pettigiani
By Rich Haridy – These were shot using a DJI Mavic Pro 2 drone. (Credit: Paolo Pettigiani). Italian photographer Paolo Pettigiani has been experimenting with capturing the infrared spectrum of light for several years, most notably turning New York’s Central Park into …
Startling study finds US fertilizer industry emits 100 times more methane than estimated
By Rich Haridy – Research suggests the fertilizer industry’s methane emissions is three times higher than the EPA assumed was emitted by all industrial production in the United States. (Credit: BespaliyA/Depositphotos). A disturbing new study from researchers at Cornell University and the …
Norwegian robot is made to help scientists – and seniors
By Ben Coxworth – A preproduction EVE r3, on display at ICRA 2019. (Credit: Ben Coxworth/New Atlas). You might think that most new robots are designed to head off into factories or other workplaces, but the fact is that many of them are …
Active ingredient in Roundup found in 95% of studied beers and wines
The controversial herbicide is everywhere, apparently. By Robby Berman – U.S. PIRG tested 20 beers and wines, including organics, and found Roundup’s active ingredient in almost all of them. A jury on August 2018 awarded a non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma victim $289 million in Roundup …
Dogs mirror stress levels of their owners
The owner’s personality was the most important factor in examining the stress-hormone relationship between pet and owner. By Stephen Johnson – A new study found that dogs and their owners show similar levels of the stress hormone cortisol over time. The dog-owner cortisol …
Michelin and GM unveil airless tires for a puncture-free ride
By Aaron Turpen – Road hazards are absorbed by the Uptis tire, eliminating about 200 million tires a year that are scrapped early due to damage. (Credit: Michelin). Michelin has teamed with General Motors to target a 2024 production goal for airless …
Taco Bell customer calls police after restaurant runs out of taco shells
by Tribune Media Wire – – SLIDELL, La. — A Taco Bell in Louisiana ran out of taco shells Monday, which was emergency enough for one customer to call police. – Police in Slidell said someone called to complain that the Taco Bell …
The climate crisis is our third world war. It needs a bold response
By Joseph Stiglitz – Critics of the Green New Deal ask if we can afford it. But we can’t afford not to: our civilization is at stake. ‘The war on the climate emergency, if correctly waged, would actually be good for the economy.’ …
Jyroball launches super-compact, spherical electric monowheel
By Loz Blain – Compact and portable, the Jyrowheel is launching on Indiegogo. (Credit: Jyroball). Weighing just 20 lb (9 kg) and folding into a 10-inch-diameter (25-cm) ball for transport, the Jyroball is a super-compact self-balancing urban monowheel that its creators say is …
Sponges help scientists detect waterborne DNA
By Ben Coxworth – Brown tube sponges on a reef in Belize. (Credit: dsabo/Depositphotos). We’ve recently been hearing about how scientists can tell which creatures are present in an aquatic environment, by detecting their cast-off DNA in the water. A new study …
This Woman Thought She Had a Brain Tumor, but It Was Actually a Tapeworm
By Maggie O’Neill – Mount Sinai Health System © Provided by TIME Inc. In January 2018, Rachel Palma started noticing her body wasn’t working quite right. Her mind wasn’t functioning properly, and she would suddenly drop items she was holding. “My right hand …
China continues to deny Tiananmen, but we won’t let the world forget
On the 30th anniversary of the massacre, commemorations to those who were killed will show the Chinese government we will not be silenced. By Rowena Xiaoqing He – Tiananmen Square on 2 June 1989, two days before the massacre. Photograph: Catherine Henriette/AFP/Getty Images. …
Fears grow over ‘food swamps’ as drugstores outsell major grocers
With CVS selling more groceries than Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s combined, researchers fear food ‘deserts’ are becoming ‘swamps’ of processed food. Gabrielle Canon @GabrielleCanon – Los Angeles, California, has some of the worst food ‘swamps’ in the country. Photograph: Daniel Slim/AFP/Getty Images. …
Volkswagen obliterates Nürburgring electric record
By Nick Lavars – Volkswagen’s ID.R in action at Nürburgring-Nordschleife. (Credit: Volkswagen). Volkswagen built its ID.R with the intention of showing what the heads in its electric drive division are capable of, and it only took a few months after its unveiling for the …
Overland Expo 2019 – Jeep campers, floaty amphibians and other world-exploration rigs
C.C. Weiss – Those giant 63-in Sherp tires propel the beast through water, as well as over land. (Credit: 4theriders.com / New Atlas). Overland Expo celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, and the 2019 show proved more than ever that “overlanding” has exploded from …
Neanderthal and unknown human ancestor DNA found in the “dark heart” of chromosomes
By Michael Irving – Geneticists have discovered some of the most ancient pieces of human DNA hiding in the centromere, the middle section of the chromosome. (Credit: Sasha and Charles Langley). Genes get shuffled and re-dealt with every new generation, meaning many are …
Climate change may cause an increase in squid populations
By Ben Coxworth – Dr. Blake Spady observes one of the squid, which is doing surprisingly well in acidic water. (Credit: Blake Spady). Climate change already appears to be responsible for an overabundance of jellyfish in the world’s oceans, but new research …
Skoda restores 110-year-old sports car – and boy does it look gorgeous
By Loz Blain – This restored 1908 Laurin & Klement BSC is a 110-year-old piece of sports car history. (Credit: Škoda). Czech automaker Škoda is a surprisingly old company: 122 years old, in fact. In its early days, it was called Laurin & Klement, …
“World’s first working thermal battery” promises cheap, eco-friendly, grid-scalable energy storage
By Loz Blain – CCT SEO Serge Bondarenko (left) and COO Graham Warburton (right) with the Thermal Energy Device (TED). (Credit: CCT Energy Storage). South Australia has recently put the world’s biggest lithium battery into operation – but perhaps it should’ve waited. …
Advice to yourself
What advice would you give your younger self? This is the first study to ever examine it. By SCOTTY HENDRICKS – The study asked several hundred volunteers over the age of 30 to describe what they most wanted to tell their younger selves. …
Emotional temperament in babies associated with specific gut bacteria species
By Rich Haridy – A new study is the first to investigate associations between gut microbiome composition and the development of certain behavioral characteristics. (Credit: muro/Depositphotos). A new study from the University of Turku has uncovered interesting associations between an infant’s gut microbiome …
Aston Martin will race a detuned Valkyrie at Le Mans in the new Hypercar class
By Loz Blain – The Aston Martin Valkyrie will race in 2020-21. (Credit: Aston Martin). The Automobile Club de l’Ouest has announced a new top class for Le Mans endurance race – a “hypercar” class that will begin in 2020-21, designed to …
All the President’s Humility: What We Can Learn From Young George Washington
By Peter Stark – The Founding Father whom Americans revere as the incarnation of steady, selfless leadership – George Washington – was, in his early twenties, a remarkably self-centered young man. This poses an interesting question: Can today’s leaders – beginning at the top …
Scottish crannogs may be older than Stonehenge
By David Szondy – Aerial view of islet in Loch Langabhat. (Credit: University of Southampton/Fraser Sturt). Archaeologists from the Universities of Southampton and Reading have determined that some of Scotland’s famous lake dwellings are older than Stonehenge. Called “crannogs,” the little artificial …
World’s first full-body medical scanner generates astonishing 3D images
By Rich Haridy – The new EXPLORER full-body scanner promises faster and more detailed medical imaging. (Credit: UC Davis). After over a decade of development, the world’s first full-body medical scanner has produced its first images. The groundbreaking imaging device is almost …