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How the Silent Cosmos Led Humans to Fear the Worst
The eerie silence above may tell us something ominous about the future of our own civilization. By Thomas Moynihan – It is 1950 and a group of scientists are walking to lunch against the majestic backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. They are about …
Interview – George RR Martin: ‘Game of Thrones finishing is freeing, I’m at my own pace’
By Sarah Hughes – The TV series may have reached its conclusion, but with two books to finish as well as a host of spinoff projects, the writer of the novel series that spawned it is busier than ever. Sun 18 Aug 2019 …
An ancient planet, 10 times bigger than Earth, may have crashed into Jupiter
By Michael Irving – An artist’s impression of a collision between Jupiter and a large, ancient planetoid that would have disrupted its core. (Credit: K. Suda & Y. Akimoto/Mabuchi Design Office/Astrobiology Center, Japan). Jupiter is a gigantic ball of churning gas clouds, and …
The fashion line designed to trick surveillance cameras
Adversarial Fashion garments are covered in license plates, aimed at bamboozling a device’s databases. By Alex Hern in Las Vegas @alexhern – An Adversarial Fashion dress, modeled by its designer, Kate Rose. Photograph: Kate Rose. Automatic license plate readers, which use networked surveillance …
IPCC looks to the land in fight against climate change
Paul Ridden – A special report from the IPCC entitled Climate Change and Land will form the basis of scientific input for upcoming climate and environment negotiations. (Credit: kevron2002/Depositphotos). A Special Report of Climate Change and Land by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate …
This map shows the most common surnames in Europe
By Louis Doré – An infographic map made by Czech linguist, mathematician, and artist Jakub Marian has described the most popular surnames in Europe. For example, the most popular surname in the United Kingdom is Smith, deriving from the metalworking practice, compared to …
Here Is What Every Symbol On The Dollar Bill Really Means
By Hannah Irvine – There’s no doubt the US $1 bill is highly controversial. It’s the most talked about of all bills, and that’s not just because George Washington’s face replaced Salmon P. Chase, the Secretary of the Treasury, who originally adorned the bill (rude). Rumors circulating …
Life’s building blocks spontaneously self-assemble in primordial soup experiment
By Michael Irving – Researchers have shown that amino acids, the building blocks of life, stack themselves readily under the right conditions. (Credit: elenathewise/Depositphotos). Exactly how life sprung out of non-living matter is one of biology’s biggest mysteries. But with continued research …
Teen’s tweets from her smart fridge go viral after mother confiscates phone
Fifteen-year-old resorts to drastic measures after action taken ‘so I’d pay more attention to my surroundings’… By Kari Paul in San Francisco – ‘Dorothy’ found alternative means to reach her thousands of followers. Photograph: gerenme/Getty Images/iStockphoto. A resourceful teenager has taken the rise …
Rezvani Tank X: Bulletproof urban war machine becomes the world’s first 1,000-hp hyper-SUV
By Loz Blain – More than 1,000 hp makes the Rezvani Tank X the world’s first hyper-SUV. (Credit: Rezvani). Nobody this side of Howe & Howe knows how to overcompensate like the Rezvani team, and the new Tank X is so brutally …
It’s raining plastic: microscopic fibers fall from the sky in Rocky Mountains
Discovery raises new questions about the amount of plastic waste permeating the air, water, and soil virtually everywhere on Earth. By Maanvi Singh in San Francisco – Trail markers on the trail near Colorado’s highest peak, Mount Elbert, in the Rocky Mountains. Photograph: …
Plant-Based Meat: A Long-Awaited Industry Tipping Point Has Finally Arrived
“It’s a real change in consumer behavior.” By Mike Brown – Plant-based meat is on the move: A report released recently shows that retail sales across the industry are growing even faster than regular meat. The emergent food trend of plant-based alternatives to …
Did dark matter arise before the Big Bang?
By Michael Irving – A new theory suggests that dark matter originated before the Big Bang. (Credit: Andreus/Depositphotos). Few things are as mysterious as dark matter, the strange substance that appears to outnumber ordinary matter by a ratio of five to one. Now, …
Softer-than-cotton antibacterial shirt is made out of milk
By Ben Coxworth – The Limitless Milk Shirt is claimed to be three times softer than regular cotton. (Credit: Mi Terro). Every day, dairies dispose of milk that for one reason or another is deemed unfit for human consumption. A Los Angeles-based …
A Global Competition Will Allow Anyone to Name a Newly Discovered Planet
There could be an alien world out there with your name on it…! By Scott Snowden – As part of its 100th anniversary commemorations, the Paris-based International Astronomical Union is organizing the IAU100 NameExoWorlds, a global competition that allows any country in the …
Indian’s BBQ motorcycle means you won’t have to wait to enjoy your roadkill
By Loz Blain – It’s a motorcycle … with a BBQ on it. (Credit: Indian Motorcycle). From the “why the hell not” files: the Indian team is hitting this year’s Sturgis rally with a sidecar outfit we’re sure will be popular. It’s …
Color-changing jacket is inspired by squids
By Ben Coxworth – The Black Squid Jacket incorporates over 2 billion laser-embedded microspheres. (Credit: Vollebak). It was just last year that we heard about Vollebak’s Black Light Jacket, which incorporates a series of black spots that reflect white in bright light. …
Eye-Tracking Study Shows It’s Extremely Hard to Lie About 1 Specific Thing
“Eye-tracking technology shows clear potential for detecting concealed knowledge.” By Emma Betuel – Fortunately, scientists already know how to beat the lie detectors of the future, which will rely on brain scans. But even our best attempts at deceit may be destined to …
Scientists Agree on 5 Foods to Boost Brain Health and Longevity
What’s good for the body is good for the brain. By Ralph Martins – With the rise of fad diets, “superfoods,” and a growing range of dietary supplement choices, it’s sometimes hard to know what to eat. This can be particularly relevant as …
50 fascinating cars going to auction in Monterey for less than $1 million
By Mike Hanlon – A 1964 Peel Trident is one of the cars up for auction at Monterey Car Week. (Credit: RM-Sotheby’s). Monterey Car Week is almost upon us, and the busiest week for the collectible car world will see more than …
Being More Resilient to Change Is Down to 4 Factors for Most People
It’s what you do when faced with distress that defines your resiliency. By Sarah Sloat – This Sunday, I was thinking about what it means to be resilient. Research shows that most people consider themselves to be fairly resilient, but in reality, they …
Solar-powered desalination plant in Kenya gives fresh water to 25,000 people a day
Turning salt water into fresh water with the power of the sun. By Mike Colagrossi – New solar-powered desalination plant provides fresh water in Kenya. The plant is already able to support 25,000 people a day. As more water-scarce regions pop up worldwide, …
From a wrongful arrest to a life-saving romance: the typos that have changed people’s lives
In our digital world, a misdirected text or simple keyboard error can trigger huge unintended consequences By Tom Lamont – ‘We live in curious times, part-digital, part-manual.’ Composite: Guardian Design Team One day in May this year, Luigi Rimonti left his home …
The Thawing Himalayas Are Leaking Chemicals That Were Frozen for Decades
Estimates show most Himalayan glaciers could melt by 2100. By Yasmin Tayag – In 1978, the United States finally banned the dangerous pesticide DDT. Other nations soon followed, but after three decades of use, the damage had been done. The molecules didn’t just …
The Benefits of Owning a Pet Could Vastly Improve Your Life in 4 Key Areas
Can pets create health in humans? By Janette Young – Pet owners will often swear their beloved pooch does wonders for their well-being, and now we have empirical proof. A 2017 study found dog ownership is linked to improved heart health for humans. …
Teen wins Google Science Fair for method to remove microplastics from water
Fionn Ferreira will receive $50,000 for winning Google’s annual student competition. By Stephen Johnson – Google holds an annual science fair that’s open to students ages 13 to 18. Fionn Ferreira won for developing an effective way to remove microplastics from water. Microplastics …
Discovery of liver cell with stem cell-like properties could eliminate need for organ transplants
By Rich Haridy – A new cell, found in adult human livers, is like a fetal stem cell, with the capacity to develop into mature liver cells and regenerate damaged cells in the organ. Credit: decade3d/Depositphotos). An exciting new study, led by …
Scientists discover molecule in cilantro that can prevent seizures
By Rich Haridy – Researchers isolated a specific molecule in cilantro that was shown to underpin the anticonvulsant properties previously associated with the herb. (Credit: Dream79/Depositphotos). Cilantro, also known as coriander, has been traditionally used as a folk medicine for thousands of years, …
Study suggests embryos communicate with each other while still inside the egg
By Matt Kennedy – Research suggests that gull embryos can communicate important environmental information to each other before hatching. (Credit: vetal1983/Depositphotos). We know baby birds communicate, often loudly, and mostly about food, but a new study suggests they can also communicate with each …
New research uncovers compelling link between gut bacteria, obesity and the immune system
By Rich Haridy – Researchers have discovered the immune system can directly alter populations of certain bacteria in the gut that affect how dietary fats are absorbed. (Credit: animaxx3d/Depositphotos). An impressive new study from scientists at the University of Utah has described how …
Sublime smartphone snaps of the 2019 iPhone Photography Awards
By Rich Haridy – 2nd Place, Panorama. Monument, Monument Valley, iPhone 6S. “View from Artist’s Point in Monument Valley, where the ground falls away steeply and the flat land stretches ahead for many miles, punctuated by the peaks of buttes, mesas and pinnacles …
Zoom in on the winners of the 2019 Macro Art photography awards
By Rich Haridy – 2nd Place, Big Nose. Myjava, Trenčín, Slovakia. “This tiny snout beetle is actually a ‘true’ weevil of the family Curculionidae. I located it at about 6am in the morning in Myjava when I shot in manual mode to …
Dragonfly brains could make missile defenses faster and more accurate
By David Szondy – Dragonfly brains could serve as models for more efficient missile defenses. (Credit: OndrejProsicky/Depositphotos). Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories led by computational neuroscientist Frances Chance are looking to the common dragonfly for clues to develop smaller, more efficient missile …
How Intermittent Fasting Could Help You Live Longer and Better
Three experts explain the popular diet’s impact on aging and disease. By Alexandra Pattillo – Intermittent fasting: diet trend, Silicon Valley practice, religious ritual, and now, maybe, long-term health regimen? Intermittent fasting (IF) has been around for centuries but only penetrated the mainstream …
Traces of two unknown archaic human species turn up in modern DNA
By Michael Irving – Evidence of two unknown, archaic human species has turned up in our DNA. (Credit: sprestiges/Depositphotos). Fossils are the most reliable way we can piece together the history of humans, but some clues have been inside us all along. …
Hydrophilic disc uses solar power to separate salt from water
By Nick Lavars – Not a weird mushroom, but a solar steam generator that desalinates water using sunlight. (Credit: Yun Xia/Monash University). Current approaches to water desalination are tremendously expensive and energy-intensive, so the search is very much on for new technologies that can get …
Motorsport’s 125th birthday – 125 years of motorized personal transport
By Mike Hanlon – The first car to reach Rouen was a De Dion-Bouton steam tractor and single-axle passenger trailer driven by Count Jules-Albert de Dion himself, but was disqualified because it needed someone to tend the boiler. (Credit: Mercedes-Benz). This week …
Early Puberty Mystery Linked to Family Exposure to Household Chemicals
“We are starting to have enough information about them to certainly be concerned.” By Sarah Sloat – American girls are now going through puberty significantly earlier than in decades prior, a trend that’s been linked to physiological and psychological risks. The various …
Peloton’s Automated Follow feature would allow a person to drive two trucks at once
By Nick Lavars – Peloton calls its newly announced technology Automated Following. (Credit: Peloton). Trucking is an industry that could be shaped significantly by autonomous vehicle tech in the coming years, and enabling heavy haulers to roll along in tight formations known …
YouTube’s Dangerous Role in Climate Change Miseducation Revealed in Study
“YouTube, for many people, is the new Wikipedia.” By Sarah Sloat – YouTube provides a buffet of content to its one billion users. That content isn’t always information, even if it appears to be at first glance. Through its algorithm, the video-sharing website …
How the Silent Cosmos Led Humans to Fear the Worst
The eerie silence above may tell us something ominous about the future of our own civilization. By Thomas Moynihan – It is 1950 and a group of scientists are walking to lunch against the majestic backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. They are about …
Interview – George RR Martin: ‘Game of Thrones finishing is freeing, I’m at my own pace’
By Sarah Hughes – The TV series may have reached its conclusion, but with two books to finish as well as a host of spinoff projects, the writer of the novel series that spawned it is busier than ever. Sun 18 Aug 2019 …
An ancient planet, 10 times bigger than Earth, may have crashed into Jupiter
By Michael Irving – An artist’s impression of a collision between Jupiter and a large, ancient planetoid that would have disrupted its core. (Credit: K. Suda & Y. Akimoto/Mabuchi Design Office/Astrobiology Center, Japan). Jupiter is a gigantic ball of churning gas clouds, and …
The fashion line designed to trick surveillance cameras
Adversarial Fashion garments are covered in license plates, aimed at bamboozling a device’s databases. By Alex Hern in Las Vegas @alexhern – An Adversarial Fashion dress, modeled by its designer, Kate Rose. Photograph: Kate Rose. Automatic license plate readers, which use networked surveillance …
IPCC looks to the land in fight against climate change
Paul Ridden – A special report from the IPCC entitled Climate Change and Land will form the basis of scientific input for upcoming climate and environment negotiations. (Credit: kevron2002/Depositphotos). A Special Report of Climate Change and Land by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate …
This map shows the most common surnames in Europe
By Louis Doré – An infographic map made by Czech linguist, mathematician, and artist Jakub Marian has described the most popular surnames in Europe. For example, the most popular surname in the United Kingdom is Smith, deriving from the metalworking practice, compared to …
Here Is What Every Symbol On The Dollar Bill Really Means
By Hannah Irvine – There’s no doubt the US $1 bill is highly controversial. It’s the most talked about of all bills, and that’s not just because George Washington’s face replaced Salmon P. Chase, the Secretary of the Treasury, who originally adorned the bill (rude). Rumors circulating …
Life’s building blocks spontaneously self-assemble in primordial soup experiment
By Michael Irving – Researchers have shown that amino acids, the building blocks of life, stack themselves readily under the right conditions. (Credit: elenathewise/Depositphotos). Exactly how life sprung out of non-living matter is one of biology’s biggest mysteries. But with continued research …
Teen’s tweets from her smart fridge go viral after mother confiscates phone
Fifteen-year-old resorts to drastic measures after action taken ‘so I’d pay more attention to my surroundings’… By Kari Paul in San Francisco – ‘Dorothy’ found alternative means to reach her thousands of followers. Photograph: gerenme/Getty Images/iStockphoto. A resourceful teenager has taken the rise …
Rezvani Tank X: Bulletproof urban war machine becomes the world’s first 1,000-hp hyper-SUV
By Loz Blain – More than 1,000 hp makes the Rezvani Tank X the world’s first hyper-SUV. (Credit: Rezvani). Nobody this side of Howe & Howe knows how to overcompensate like the Rezvani team, and the new Tank X is so brutally …