Do bumble bees play?
It seems playtime isn’t just for children and animals. Lab-kept bumble bees apparently roll small wooden balls around for no purpose other than fun,
Category: Science
The Black Death is still affecting our immune systems
The Black Plague ripped through Europe, Africa and Asia 700 years ago and killed around 200 million people. Genes that were associated with a survival advantage are still present in us today – but appear to make us more susceptible to autoimmune diseases.
Ancient artists were probably children
Analysis of 20,000 year-old hand stencils in Spanish caves have found they were likely to be made by 3–10 year-olds.
Dogs can smell when you’re stressed
Dogs love to sniff and smell their environment and that includes us humans. To them, we smell different when we are stressed.
How time in nature fixes your brain and mood
Ever wondered how spending time in nature makes you feel better? It’s all in your amygdala.
Some crops grow better in the city
Some crops are better suited, and produce greater yields, when grown in the city.
Evidence of amputation from 31,000 years ago
When I think of amputation before modern medicine, I tend to think of brutal anaesthetic-free operations from the 1700s. But a skeleton from Borneo with an amputated left lower leg dates back to 31,000 years ago – the oldest ever recorded.
Drought is revealing hidden gems
Much of the northern hemisphere is in drought, which is damaging farm economies, forcing water restrictions and causing massive fires. Millions of people, animals and fish are suffering. However, dry rivers are revealing much from the past.
Verbal insults are like a slap in the face
The things people say to us can have lasting impacts, and recent research has found that even under unnatural conditions, a verbal insult is perceived in the same way as a slap in the face.
Why thinking too hard is exhausting
Have you ever been exhausted after thinking too much? It’s likely the build-up of glutamate is poisoning your neurons.
2022 National Science Week is here!
It’s that time of year again, when too much science is never enough. That’s right, National Science Week, Australia’s annual celebration of science and technology is on from 13-21 August.
Get up, get out and get moving
Do you meet the exercise guidelines each week? If you do, it can help reduce your mortality risk.
Moderate drinking might still cause cognitive decline
Consumption of seven or more units of alcohol per week is associated with higher iron levels in the brain. Such accumulation has been linked with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and is a potential mechanism for alcohol-related cognitive decline.
When sniffing that butt can give you cancer
Dogs love to sniff each other’s butts. But it can give them the world’s oldest cancer, and males more frequently than females.
The Hunga volcanic eruption in numbers
When the Hunga volcano erupted on 15 January, it was among the largest volcanic eruptions recorded. Now, the full extent of the eruption is becoming clearer.