Rare fossils from New Mexico reveal that dinosaurs were thriving before an asteroid wiped them out
Alamosaurus was one of the last dinosaurs in southern North America when the asteroid struck. (Image credit: Natalia Jagielska) Some of the world’s last dinosaurs were healthy and thriving until the day they were wiped out by asteroid Armageddon, a new study of fossils in New Mexico has found. Scientists have debated for decades whether […]
Scientists have defined five sleep profiles – some of which may help detect mental illness
Scientists have identified five different “sleep profiles.” Based on their analysis, the researchers concluded that good sleep involves more than just how long you sleep or whether you get enough sleep. Both genes and emotional states such as depression, anxiety, stress, and sadness contribute to sleep quality, and each sleep profile is related to how […]
Charred chunks of space debris from a secret Chinese rocket still found smoldering in the Australian outback
A massive hunk of dark material recently found smoldering in the Australian outback is likely part of a top-secret Chinese rocket, experts say. The charred debris likely crash-landed shortly after it failed to completely burn up upon entry into Earth’s atmosphere. ABC News first reported that local miners discovered the smoking debris, about 5 feet […]
Rare half-pink rough diamond weighing ‘staggering’ 37.4 carats discovered in Botswana
Miners have unearthed a rare bicolored natural diamond in Botswana. Experts say the diamond was likely formed in two stages. Half of the diamond is pink and half is colorless. It measures approximately 1 x 0.63 x 0.57 inches (24.3 x 16 x 14.5 millimeters) and weighs an “astonishing” 37.41 carats (0.25 ounces, or 7.5 […]
High-speed video documents venomous snake attack in detail for the first time
Thanks to a series of high-speed videos, scientists have finally figured out how venomous snakes sink their teeth into their prey. In a new study published Thursday (October 23) in the Journal of Experimental Biology, scientists recorded various species of snakes attacking fake prey, capturing high-resolution footage from multiple angles. The video revealed three different […]
Tropical Storm Melissa puts Caribbean’s most flood-prone areas at risk
As the newly formed Tropical Storm Melissa rages westward across the central Caribbean, a hurricane watch has been issued for the southern coast of Haiti and a tropical storm watch has been issued for Jamaica. As of 2 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Melissa was located in the central Caribbean about 305 miles (490 kilometers) south of […]
History of Science: Scientists use ‘click chemistry’ to observe molecules in living organisms — October 23, 2007
simple facts Milestone: Scientists develop chemical recipe to observe biological molecules Date: October 23, 2007 Location: University of California, Berkeley and other laboratories Who: A team of scientists led by Carolyn Bertozzi In 2007, scientists published a paper describing a new type of biochemical recipe. This method allows scientists to see what is happening inside […]
Scientists develop super-powerful, squishy robot eyes that focus automatically and require no power source
The squishy robot’s eyes can automatically focus in response to light without any external power supply. The ultra-powerful robotic lens is sensitive enough to distinguish between the hairs on an ant’s legs and a leaf from a pollen grain. The lens could lead to “soft” robots with powerful vision that don’t require electronics or batteries […]
Mysterious glow at the center of the Milky Way galaxy could reshape major cosmological theories
New simulations reveal that the dark matter near the center of our galaxy is not as round as previously thought, but is “flattened.” The discovery may point to the origin of the mysterious high-energy glow that has puzzled astronomers for more than a decade, but further research is needed to rule out other theories. “When […]
Pathogens that plagued prehistoric people found in 1,300-year-old poop in Mexico’s Cave of Dead Children
Scientists analyzing 1,300-year-old human feces from the Dead Children’s Cave in Mexico found that more than 1,000 years ago people often suffered from nasty intestinal infections. “Working with these ancient samples is like opening a biological time capsule, with each sample revealing insights about human health and daily life,” study lead author Drew Capone, assistant […]