WEIRD FACTS
One company has exclusive rights to the source of the iconic pigment—a copper mine’s supply of iron deposits that may last just a century more. The color, known specifically as Falu red, has been a consistent symbol of pastoral life in Sweden. (Lars …
As temperatures and ozone levels rise, blossoms are adjusting their UV pigmentation. Pollinators perceive the higher levels of UV-absorbing pigments as a darker hue, which could be confusing when they try to scope out colorful flowers to land on. (Image by PublicDomainPictures from …
A 19th-century engraving depicts the Angel of Death descending on Rome during the Antonine plague. J.G. Levasseur/Wellcome Collection, CC BY – By Andrew Latham, Professor of Political Science, Macalester College 2020 Oct 01 – Before March of this year, few probably thought disease …
Multi-point articulating legs allow the Hyundai Elevate concept to walk over rubble, large rocks, collapsed highway gaps and more. Hyundai – By C.C. Weiss 2020 Sep 30 – When Hyundai debuted (rendered, really) its sci-fi-grade Elevate walking all-terrain vehicle concept at CES 2019, we …
More than 40% of Germans are cutting down on meat, and vegan burgers are a shopping mall staple. A customer tucks into Vincent Vegan burgers in a shopping mall in Berlin. Photograph: Laura Müller – By Philip Oltermann in Berlin @philipoltermann Sun 2020 …
A sample of crucible slag from an 11th century archaeological site in Iran, which was found to contain chromium. Rahil Alipour, UCL – By Michael Irving 2020 Sep 23 – Chromium is a common addition to alloys to make materials like tool steel or …
A brain-eating amoeba – By Lauren M. Johnson and Artemis Moshtaghian, CNN Updated 5:49 PM ET, Sat 2020 Sep 26 – Residents of eight cities have been alerted that a brain-eating amoeba was found in a southeast Texas water supply, leading one of …
Demonstrators outside the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 21 called on the Republican-controlled Senate not to confirm a new justice until the next president is in office. Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images – By David Orentlicher, Professor of Law and Co-Director, Health Law Program, …
The coronavirus forced the editors of the Oxford English Dictionary to break with tradition. Illustration by Anurag Papolu/The Conversation; dictionary photo by Spauln via Getty Images and model of COVID-19 by fpm/iStock via Getty Images , CC BY-SA – By Roger J. Kreuz, …
The U.S. Supreme Court changed size seven times in its first 80 years, from as few as five justices to as many as 10. Now, some argue it’s time to revisit the issue. The Supreme Court consisted of nine justices in 1894, but …
