The pollution left behind by fireworks
Fireworks are pretty, but they don’t disappear to nothing. Their after-effects can alter water quality and contribute to haze and reduced air quality.
Author: janine_m_young
Biodiversity tracking by stealth (or accident)
Everyone hates mosquitoes. But it turns out that they might actually be useful in biodiversity tracking. Scientists have examined the DNA of their blood meals and identified the DNA of 86 different animals, representing around 80 per cent of the vertebrate species that the caught mosquitoes were known to feed upon.
Cassowaries glow under UV light
Cassowaries already have a reputation for being able to kill you, know we know that they also glow under UV light, adding to their intrigue.
The seven moral rules found all around the world
There are seven morals that have been found to be universally important in every culture in the world tested in a new study. I’m not sure there’s been a time recently that it’s been more important to remember and practice them.
A firewall of 50,000 degrees at the edge of our solar system?
A ‘firewall’ at the edge of our solar system (heliopause, if you please) that registers temperatures of between 30,000 and 50,000 degrees? It’s true, and we can thank Voyager 1 and 2 as they travel at around 17 kilometres every second.
Latest chimp fashion trend: sticking grass in your ears (and bum)
What’s the latest fad in Zambian chimpanzee society? Stick a blade of grass in your ear, of course. And if you’re feeling especially bold, try the same up your backside. It’s called fashion, darling.
Most cats prefer sleeping on their left side
Does your cat prefer to sleep on their left side? It could be a way to ensure they can perceive threats and escape as fast as possible.
Why floods are bad for your health
The damage done by cyclones extends far beyond damaging winds. Often the flooding that follows affects more than properties: flooding is also bad for our health.
When TV signals interrupt radio astronomy in the middle of nowhere
For years, radio astronomers at the Murchison Widefield Array facility in remote Western Australia couldn’t work out why they were getting interference from TV signals, but now they have worked if where it came from and how to remove it.
Dessert stomach is real and in your head
That feeling of being full after a meal, but still having room for dessert? Totally real. And it begins in your brain.
Parker Solar Probe successfully makes closest approach to the Sun
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has successfully made the closest approach to the Sun. On Christmas Eve, the spacecraft passed within a record-breaking 6 million kilometres of the scorching star. NASA received an all-clear message from Parker on Thursday night confirming it survived the journey.
Giant rats in tiny vests trained to sniff out illegally trafficked wildlife
Scientists have trained African giant pouched rats to sniff out illegally traded animal parts. And they get to wear tiny vests.
People hate stories they think were written by AI, even if they were written by people
Many people, myself included, are really distrustful of AI. A recent study found that people don’t like stories written by a machine as much as that by a human – even when it was written by a human.
Most thunderstorms are really radioactive
Researchers have known for several decades that thunderstorms can act as miniature particle accelerators that produce antimatter, gamma rays and other nuclear phenomena. But they did not know how common the phenomenon was. In observations taken by a retrofitted U2 spy plane, they’ve discovered essentially all large thunderstorms produce gamma rays in many dynamic, unexpected and unknown ways.
The world’s oldest cheese is Chinese
For 20 years, researchers have been fascinated by the white substances smeared around the necks of three ancient mummies in China. New analysis has shown they are chunks of preserved kefir cheese. Dating back around 3,600 years, it is the oldest cheese ever found.