WEIRD SCIENCE
Three upright walkers, including Lucy (center) and two specimens of Australopithecus sediba, a human ancestor from South Africa dating back nearly 2 million years. Image compiled by Peter Schmid and courtesy of Lee R. Berger/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA – By Jan Simek, Professor of …
Everything you need to know about the Glasgow conference seeking to forge a global response to the climate emergency. Under the 2015 Paris climate accord, nations committed to restricting global temperature rises to ‘well below’ 2C. Composite: AP/Guardian Design Your Cop26 jargon buster …
Prof Stuart Russell says field of artificial intelligence needs to grow up quickly to ensure humans remain in control. There is still a big gap between the AI of today and that depicted in films such as Ex Machina, Prof Stuart Russell says. …
The ongoing research is looking at genetic differences in couples where one member suffers from severe disease while the other does not get infected. ralwel/Depositphotos – By Rich Haridy 2021 Oct 21 – A massive international collaborative effort has begun investigating whether specific genetic …
Analysis of wood from timber-framed buildings in Newfoundland shows Norse-built settlement 471 years before Columbus. The Icelandic sagas depict a Viking presence in North America, led by Leif Erikson in a place called Vinland. Photograph: Alamy Stock Photo – Reuters Last modified on …
Every particle of normal matter has an antimatter equivalent. Flashmovie/Depositphotos View 7 Images – By Michael Irving 2021 Oct 15 – It sounds like sci-fi: normal matter has an “evil twin” that annihilates as soon as the two come into contact. But this antimatter is …
List of facilities makes it clear that virtually no part of the US appears free from the potential risk of air and water contamination with the chemicals. By Carey Gillam and Alvin Chang Last modified on 2021 Oct 18 – The US Environmental …
“There’s nothing in the taste that tells you what you are eating is about to kill you.” By Craig Childs, The Atlantic – Between a sidewalk and a cinder-block wall grew seven mushrooms, each half the size of a doorknob. Their silver-green caps …
Computer Space was innovative, but how was it to play? Ed Fries, CC BY-ND – By Noah Wardrip-Fruin, Professor of Computational Media, University of California, Santa Cruz 2021 Oct 11 – Before Pong there was Computer Space, the first commercial video game. The …
Cordycepin in its natural form. cendeced/Depositphotos – By Nick Lavars 2021 Oct 10 – By using a compound derived from a Himalayan fungus and used for centuries in Chinese medicine as a jumping off point, scientists have developed a new chemotherapy drug with powerful …
