WEIRD FACTS
Wildfires that swept through Sequoia National Forest in California in September 2021 were so severe they killed ancient trees that had adapted to survive fires. AP Photo/Noah Berger – By Shuang-Ye Wu, Professor of Geology and Environmental Geosciences, University of Dayton Last updated …
This year’s winning illusion was titled The Phantom Queen. Matt Pritchard – By Rich Haridy 2021 Dec 29 – An innovative anamorphic illusion has taken the top prize in the annual Best Illusion of the Year contest. Twisting minds for 17 years the contest …
Amenhotep I ‘unwrapped’ digitally by Cairo scientists, revealing details from his grave jewellery to his teeth. The sarcophagus of Amenhotep I, who ruled Egypt between roughly 1525 and 1504 BC. Photograph: De Agostini Picture Library/Getty Images – By Mark Brown Last modified on …
Amid the pandemic, confetti fell on an almost-empty Times Square last New Year’s Eve. AP Photo/Craig Ruttle – By Miriamne Ara Krummel, Professor of English, University of Dayton 2021 Dec 23 – On Dec. 31, people from cultures all around the world will …
Hilary Swank in AI thriller I Am Mother (2019). Photograph: Netflix – By John Naughton Last modified on 2021 Dec 25 – Forget about the danger of robots creating a sci-fi-style dystopia. The modern corporation is already doing all of that. In the …
In 2019, the body of a man fell from a passenger plane into a garden in south London. Who was he? A plane lowers its undercarriage as it descends for landing at London Heathrow airport. Photograph: Avpics/Alamy – By Sirin Kale Last modified …
Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. – By Katie Hunt, CNN Updated 2021 Dec 22 – The human story — where we come from and how we evolved — …
Humanitarian groups have been calling for a ban on autonomous weapons. Wolfgang Kumm/picture alliance via Getty Images – By James Dawes, Professor of English, Macalester College 2021 Dec 20 – Autonomous weapon systems – commonly known as killer robots – may have killed …
The history of racism in the US is fertile ground for fascism. As in all fascist movements, contemporary forces have found a popular leader unconstrained by the rules of democracy, this time in the figure of Donald Trump. Composite: The Guardian/Getty Images – …
Half a million phones received emergency alerts thanks to system offering a few seconds to take cover. Dr Lucy Jones, a seismologist, describes how an early warning system would work at a news conference in 2013. Photograph: Reed Saxon/AP – By Gabrielle Canon …
