Category: General
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Scientists say textbooks are wrong about how life began on Earth
Finding the origin of life on Earth has been a goal for scientists for decades. However, like anything, it’s always based on theories and possible evidence, which can often change and evolve as we learn about our world and the universe we are part of. According to a new study published in the journal Geobiology,…
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5 Examples of the Worst Human-Made Disasters in History
Natural disasters, such as tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, floods and volcanic eruptions, have caused devastating effects. However, human-caused disasters can have equally devastating impacts on the lives of countless people. Here are five of the biggest human-caused disasters to occur in modern history. 1. Chernobyl Disaster (Credit:JoRanky/Shutterstock) In 1986, an explosion at the Number 4 nuclear…
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This Massive Viper Has The Longest Fangs of Any Venomous Snake on Earth : ScienceAlert
A massive viper is wriggling through the forests of Africa right now that has a bite like no other. Its 5-centimeter-long (2 inches) retractable fangs are the largest of any snake on Earth, capable of taking down prey as large as an antelope. The Gaboon viper’s (Bitis gabonica) sheer size makes it a fearsome predator…
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The Rise and Fall of the Zero-Waste Trash Jar
A trash jar can amplify that personal focus, since keeping one requires such extreme attentiveness to one’s consumption patterns. Kellogg says it’s simply not worth putting all your energy into a trash jar if it leaves no bandwidth for chipping away at some of those bigger, system-level problems. Sure, shopping zero-waste might support a reuse-centric…
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How Diamonds Make Their Way to The Surface : ScienceAlert
“A diamond is forever.” That iconic slogan, coined for a highly successful advertising campaign in the 1940s, sold the gemstones as a symbol of eternal commitment and unity. But our new research, carried out by researchers in a variety of countries and published in Nature, suggests that diamonds may be a sign of break up…
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Forests in the US will stop absorbing carbon within 50 years, USDA report warns
The carbon-absorbing powers of our forests will soon be overwhelmed, a new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture says. The report claims that forests will stop absorbing carbon by 2070, at which point they will turn into natural carbon emitters instead. Tech. Entertainment. Science. Your inbox. Sign up for the most interesting tech &…
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A Stone Age Village Buried a Mysterious Girl with Fine Jewelry Befitting Ancient Egypt
Who was this girl, and why was her burial so special? Those are the questions archaeologist Hala Alarashi and her colleagues ask in a new paper published in PLOSONE that details the burial of an 8-year-old girl in an ancient Jordanian town sometime between 7,400 and 6,800 B.C. Interred with her bones in the village…
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How to Trim Your Dog’s Nails: Everything You Need to Know
Click-clack, click-clack! It’s a sound that many of us may have heard whenever our dogs walk or run across any surface that isn’t carpeted. If you have hardwood, your first thought might be, I hope he didn’t scratch my floors! But instead of worrying about that, maybe your first thought should be, is it time…
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Ideas for STEM Summer Fun from Science Near Me
The Science Near Me blog is a partnership between Discover magazine and ScienceNearMe.org. Summer’s not over yet! Though many families are already wrapping up summer road trips and looking toward the beginning of another school year, there’s still ample time for curious people — of any age — to squeeze in some more summer fun…
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How Eavesdropping on Clicks and Squeaks Helps Monitor Endangered Dolphins
Freshwater dolphins are some of the most unique mammals on the planet. Like bats, the dolphins use echolocation to forage for prey in the cloudy waters of the Orinoco and Amazon River basins. Now, researchers are using their clicks, buzzes and squeaks to monitor the species’ movement within its habitat. Read More: River Dolphins Are…