MUTTS
Mutts Cartoon
News
Exciting architecture projects to look forward to in 2019
By Adam Williams – – The Beijing Daxing International Airport (aka Beijing New Airport) terminal, led by Zaha Hadid Architects, is one of the amazing projects due to be completed in 2019. (Credit: Zaha Hadid Architects). 2018 was an outstanding year for architecture, but 2019 is …
Immune system found to tap into chaos theory to regulate itself
By Michael Irving – – Researchers have found evidence that chaos theory – best known through the “butterfly effect” – plays a big role in the immune system. (Credit: agsandrew/Depositphotos). The immune system is incredibly complex, but most of us would probably …
Medical micro-robots automatically change shape to swim through the body
By Michael Irving – A new breed of medical micro-robots made to explore the human body can automatically adapt to the different environments in there. (Credit: EPFL/ETHZ). It’s looking more and more likely that tiny robots could one day be swimming and crawling …
How to feed 10 billion people: Landmark report lays out a sustainable diet for the planet
By Nick Lavars – Scientists are calling for the global population to move towards a more plant-based diet (Credit: stockasso/Depositphotos). It’s no secret that the course we’re on with food production and consumption is in need of serious correcting, but a major …
Eye-catching NuBike goes with drive levers instead of a chain
By Ben Coxworth – The NuBike road bike prototype – other models are in the works (Credit: Rodger Parker). Probably ever since bicycles were first invented, people have been looking for alternatives to the traditional approach of pedaling in circles. Los Angeles-based …
Aerial photography captures the beauty of how water shapes our planet
By Rich Haridy – Low tide at blue hour reveals a muddy riverbed of fishbone shaped streams in the middle of a small, but unique part of the salt marsh located at the end of the Betanzos Estuary, near A Coruña in …
Brightest quasar ever found shines with the intensity of 600 trillion Suns
By Michael Irving – An artist’s rendering of the quasar J043947.08+163415.7, the brightest known quasar with the luminosity of 600 trillion Suns (Credit: ESA/Hubble, NASA, M. Kornmesser). From our point of view here on Earth, the brightest object in the sky is …
The cyber-attack that sent an Alaskan community back in time
In 2018, a remote Alaskan community’s infrastructure was hit by a malware attack which forced it offline. It was only then they realized how much they depended on computers. By Chris Baraniuk – Mountain and lake in Mat-Su Borough – p06xjnns. They still …
Physicists puzzled by strange numbers that could explain reality
Eight-dimensional octonions may hold the clues to solve fundamental mysteries. By Paul Ratner – Physicists discover complex numbers called octonions that work in 8 dimensions. The numbers have been found linked to fundamental forces of reality. Understanding octonions can lead to a new …
The scientific reason you want to squeeze cute things
Aww. By Evan Fleischer – Researchers appear to have found a neural basis for “cute aggression.” Cute aggression is what happens when you say something like, ‘It’s so cute I want to squeeze the stuffings out of it!’ But it’s also a complex …
Paying with Bitcoin: What You Need to Know
Image Source. Cryptocurrency, especially Bitcoin, continues to rise in popularity despite its value’s recent volatility; and if you are looking to use bitcoin to pay for things, you have to take due diligence in knowing how to do it, where you can spend, …
Human Life Wouldn’t Exist Without the Earth’s Magnetic Fields
In the early days of life on Earth, protecting the warmth-trapping atmosphere from the Sun’s fierce solar winds was critical. By Yasmin Tayag – For life to take root on a planet, organisms need little more than a rocky surface, liquid water, and …
Unexplained Shifts in Earth’s Magnetic Field Imperil Global Navigation
The magnetic field is changing like never before, and scientists aren’t sure what to do. By Peter Hess – The Earth’s magnetic field protects us from the most harmful portions of the sun’s radiation. The Earth’s magnetic field has always been in flux, …
New insight into how lack of quality sleep is linked to Alzheimer’s disease
Rich Haridy – The red and orange shades illustrate the areas in the brain that display higher levels of toxic proteins aggregating in relation to reduced amounts of slow-wave sleep (Credit: Brendan Lacey). Adding to a growing body of research associating sleep …
The Hexa manned multirotor: It’s real, and you can fly it
By Loz Blain – The Hexa will land on four large floats, suitable for ground or water landings (Credit: Lift Aircraft). Flying taxi services like Uber Elevate may take some time to arrive, but if you want to be among the first …
Dads who exercise before having children have healthier kids
With so much emphasis on mothers, turns out fathers have to be equally vigilant in their habits. By Derek Beres – – A new study shows that a father’s exercise program influences the genetic expression of their children. Male mice that ate a …
A home library can have a powerful effect on children
A new study finds that simply growing up in a home with enough books increases adult literacy and math prowess. By Robby Berman – c1.staticflickr.com. A child growing up in a home with at least 80 books will have greater literacy and numeracy …
High-fiber diet linked to lower risk of death and chronic diseases
By Nina Avramova, CNN – Photo: Easy ways to add fiber to your diet. – Fiber helps stave off heart disease, cancer and digestive problems while helping control cholesterol, blood sugar and weight gain. But Americans get an average of only 15 grams …
Japan finds a huge cache of scarce rare-earth minerals
Japan looks to replace China as the primary source of critical metals. By Robby Berman – Enough rare earth minerals have been found off Japan to last centuries Rare earths are important materials for green technology, as well as medicine and manufacturing Where …
Tholins: The red goo critical to life in the universe
Carl Sagan—who first coined the term—was tempted to call them “star-tar.” By Matthew Davis – Tholins are a broad group of organic compounds formed when simpler molecules are irradiated. They are extremely common in our solar system, and studies have shown that their …
Study of lookalikes refutes popular personality theory
Researchers discover whether genes or social interaction shape personality. By Paul Ratner – Scientists looked at pairs of people who looked like each other but were not twins. The results showed that genetics plays a stronger role in personality formation than how alike …
Washington Is About to Decide Whether Human Remains Should Become Compost
By Sarah Sloat – A person who dies in Washington has the option of being either buried or cremated. But when the legislative session opens, life after death could become a lot more interesting: State Senator Jamie Pederson plans to introduce a bill …
Copper Kills Viruses, Cold, Flu?! Modern Science Learning from Ancient Past
by Ben B.Boothe, Sr. – I was traveling in India and visited an ancient fortress complex. There they displayed a huge copper vat, mounted on two large wooden beams. The guide said, “When the king traveled to other lands, this was his water …
The meteor shower that brought Tunguska is due in June
That disastrous rock now looks to have been a Beta Taurid passenger. By Robby Berman – By Z. Sekanina – Z. Sekanina, The Tunguska event – No cometary signature in evidence, Astron. J. 88 (1983) 1382. doi:10.1086/113429., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61182393 Tunguska’s trajectory and …
Milky Way Is Doomed to Crash Into a Nearby Galaxy Sooner Than Expected
By Yasmin Tayag – The Whirlpool Galaxy The spiraling Milky Way galaxy, which nestles our solar system in its Orion Spur, counts several large galaxies as its neighbors in the Local Group. This location is neither fixed nor particularly safe. Galaxies are always …
People who read live longer than those who don’t, Yale researchers say
The benefits of reading should not be understated, even when it comes to living a longer life. A new study finds that reading books in particular returns cognitive gains that increase longevity. By Laurie Vázquez – Flying Books – NationalReadingGroupMonth.com – homepg_photo_2014b Bookworms …
Civita Bagnoregio, the dying city
By Jean-Pierre Fabre Bruot – Civita Bagnoregio (pronounced “Ban-yo-regio”) is a delightful ancient hamlet, noted for its striking position atop a plateau of volcanic tuff overlooking the Tiber river valley. Perched on top of a tufa hill among a desolated valley made up of …
Largest ever continuous oil and gas resource found in the United States
David Szondy – Some 46.3 billion barrels of oil, 281 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and 20 billion barrels of natural gas liquids are estimated to be underTexas and New Mexico. (Credit: bluebay2014/Depositphotos). As the United States becomes a net oil …
The most spectacular, surreal and psychedelic photography of 2018
By Rich Haridy – Every morning hundreds of hot air balloons lift off from Cappadocia, an arid region in Turkey. (Credit: Martijn Doolard Behance (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)). From alien architecture to neon water reflections, the last 12 months have delivered a stunning array of …
Huge ancient ice wall across the Bering Strait may have triggered Ice Age
By Michael Irving – A new study suggests the last ice age was caused by an ice wall across the Bering Strait. (Credit: grechka333/Depositphotos). While climate change is the hot topic (pun intended) of the day, the truth is Earth has always …
How to split the USA into two countries: Red and Blue
Progressive America would be half as big, but twice as populated as its conservative twin. Frank Jacobs – America’s two political tribes have consolidated into ‘red’ and ‘blue’ nations, with seemingly irreconcilable differences. Perhaps the best way to stop the infighting is to …
Microdosing magic truffles makes you more creative, new study finds
Is microdosing magic truffles a way to unlock your creative potential? That’s long been anecdotal, but the evidence is coming. By Kevin Dickinson – A recent study showed that microdosing magic truffles can significantly increase one’s creative thinking. Published in Psychopharmacology, the study …
Methamphetamine was the secret to Hitler’s blitzkrieg successes
A new book finds that Hitler relied on a number of drugs to rule Germany, including “crystal meth.” By Philip Perry – Hitler’s charisma, demagoguery, and ability to mobilize Germany behind him have been much written about and discussed. His failed attempt to …
The inconvenient truth about the environmental impact of organic farming
By Rich Haridy – New research suggests organic farming has a greater impact on carbon emissions and the climate than conventional farming methods. (Credit: ccaetano/Depositphotos). A new international study into the impact of agricultural land use on climate change has found organic …
Harvard study uncovers why fasting can lead to a longer and healthier life
By Rich Haridy – New research has found that a cell’s mitochondria (represented in green above) can be affected through fasting which results in better health and longevity. (Credit: NICHD Flickr CC-BY-2.0). Intermittent fasting diets are all the rage these days. We are seeing …
The world’s oldest cave paintings were probably made by Neanderthals
For a long time, we thought our species were the only artists. By Patty Hamrick, Archaeology, New York University. Every single culture engages in some kind of art, whether that’s telling stories, dancing, weaving elaborate textiles, cooking, making jewelry or pottery, or painting landscapes …
This bank in Italy accepted cheese as collateral. Here’s why.
Why one Italian bank is counting on wheels of Parmigiano-Reggiano as collateral. Matthew Davis – When giving out a secured loan, most banks ask for a form of collateral to recoup their losses in case the borrower defaults. Most people put up their …
Even these Terrible Maps can teach us something
Despite itself, this collection of awful cartography may just make a few useful observations. By Frank Jacobs – Since 2016, Terrible Maps has been collecting, well… terrible maps. They’re awful, pointless and stupid, but also funny (and sometimes even instructive). Here are 10 …
Study: Memories of music cannot be lost to Alzheimer’s and dementia
The part of your brain responsible for ASMR catalogs music, and appears to be a stronghold against Alzheimer’s and dementia. By Ned Dymoke – Some music inspires you to move your feet, some inspires you to get out there and change the world. …
You can now drag and drop whole countries to compare their size
TheTrueSize.com offers hours of fun while you stretch and shrink countries and states all over the globe. By Frank Jacobs – Our world maps lie to us: North America and Europe aren’t really that big and Africa really is much bigger. It’s all …
Exciting architecture projects to look forward to in 2019
By Adam Williams – – The Beijing Daxing International Airport (aka Beijing New Airport) terminal, led by Zaha Hadid Architects, is one of the amazing projects due to be completed in 2019. (Credit: Zaha Hadid Architects). 2018 was an outstanding year for architecture, but 2019 is …
Immune system found to tap into chaos theory to regulate itself
By Michael Irving – – Researchers have found evidence that chaos theory – best known through the “butterfly effect” – plays a big role in the immune system. (Credit: agsandrew/Depositphotos). The immune system is incredibly complex, but most of us would probably …
Medical micro-robots automatically change shape to swim through the body
By Michael Irving – A new breed of medical micro-robots made to explore the human body can automatically adapt to the different environments in there. (Credit: EPFL/ETHZ). It’s looking more and more likely that tiny robots could one day be swimming and crawling …
How to feed 10 billion people: Landmark report lays out a sustainable diet for the planet
By Nick Lavars – Scientists are calling for the global population to move towards a more plant-based diet (Credit: stockasso/Depositphotos). It’s no secret that the course we’re on with food production and consumption is in need of serious correcting, but a major …
Eye-catching NuBike goes with drive levers instead of a chain
By Ben Coxworth – The NuBike road bike prototype – other models are in the works (Credit: Rodger Parker). Probably ever since bicycles were first invented, people have been looking for alternatives to the traditional approach of pedaling in circles. Los Angeles-based …
Aerial photography captures the beauty of how water shapes our planet
By Rich Haridy – Low tide at blue hour reveals a muddy riverbed of fishbone shaped streams in the middle of a small, but unique part of the salt marsh located at the end of the Betanzos Estuary, near A Coruña in …
Brightest quasar ever found shines with the intensity of 600 trillion Suns
By Michael Irving – An artist’s rendering of the quasar J043947.08+163415.7, the brightest known quasar with the luminosity of 600 trillion Suns (Credit: ESA/Hubble, NASA, M. Kornmesser). From our point of view here on Earth, the brightest object in the sky is …
The cyber-attack that sent an Alaskan community back in time
In 2018, a remote Alaskan community’s infrastructure was hit by a malware attack which forced it offline. It was only then they realized how much they depended on computers. By Chris Baraniuk – Mountain and lake in Mat-Su Borough – p06xjnns. They still …
Physicists puzzled by strange numbers that could explain reality
Eight-dimensional octonions may hold the clues to solve fundamental mysteries. By Paul Ratner – Physicists discover complex numbers called octonions that work in 8 dimensions. The numbers have been found linked to fundamental forces of reality. Understanding octonions can lead to a new …
The scientific reason you want to squeeze cute things
Aww. By Evan Fleischer – Researchers appear to have found a neural basis for “cute aggression.” Cute aggression is what happens when you say something like, ‘It’s so cute I want to squeeze the stuffings out of it!’ But it’s also a complex …