“Hidden Genes” help to control metabolism and feeding, and may retain untapped benefits for humans
Hibernating mammals rely on specific genes to regulate metabolism, entering their unique, low-energy state, where humans actually carry the same hibernation-related DNA. Now, early research suggests that leveraging this particular DNA could help people treat their medical conditions, scientists say. Hibernation offers “a bunch of different biometrically important superpowers” to senior research author Christopher Gregg, […]
See the reconstruction of the “hyperrealistic” of two Stone Age sisters who worked in the brutal mines of the Czech Republic six thousand years ago
Researchers have announced two “surreal” reconstructions of two adult sisters who lived and worked in the brutal mining community in the present Czech Republic over 6,000 years ago. The stunning 3D reconstruction is based on a new analysis of sister ruins excavated more than 15 years ago from prehistoric chart mines in the South Moravian […]
How far can the most powerful telescope see space?
The world’s first telescope, created in 1608 by Hans Rippersssy, a Dutch eyeglass maker, led to a stunning technology that would later revolutionize understanding of the universe. His telescope used a simple lens to enlarge the object to about three times its size, but later scientists built on this concept to peer into the depths […]
Why does your heart become “blank”? New brain scans reveal amazing answers
You look up from your phone screen and suddenly realize you are not thinking anything. It is not a lapse of memories or fantasies. It’s literally a moment when you’re not thinking anything. Neuroscientists have the term – mind-bllol – which they define as a brief awakening state when conscious thought simply stops. Scientists have […]
Scientists analyze 76 million wireless telescope images and find starlink satellite interference.
There is no doubt that SpaceX’s Starlink Internet service has connected the world more than ever, but at what cost? Astronomers have long voiced concerns about Starlink’s satellite constellations that interfere with observations of the universe, and a new investigation by Curtin University confirms these fears. Analysis of 76 million images from the Square Kilometer […]
aye-ayes: a strange nocturne lemur with long, creepy fingers
Simple facts Name: aye-yee (daubentonia madagascaliensis) Where it lives: Madagascar What it eats: seeds, nuts, fruits, nectar, plant matter, fungi, insect larvae, honey This lemur, from Madagascar, looks like a strange mix of several animals. It has round owl eyes, bat ears, rodent-like teeth that do not stop growing, and a bushy tail that is […]
NASA announces a spectacular snapshot of Cosmos in X-ray vision: Space Photos of the Week
NASA, with the help of Hubble and JWST, has released an edit of nine new images created by the Chandra X-ray Observatory. (Image credit: NASA/CXC/SAO) Simple facts What it is: 9 archive images from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Telescope Where is it: a distant galaxy with pockets near star formation and giant black holes When shared: […]
How do frogs breathe and drink through their skin?
Unlike humans, frogs and other amphibians do not need to rely on their lungs to breathe. Their unique skin helps you exchange drinks with oxygen. But how do frogs breathe and drink their skin? Frogs’ skin is complex. It is thin and covered with glands that moisten the skin and produce mucus, and is porous […]
AI is entering an ‘unprecedented regime.’ Should we stop it — and can we — before it destroys us?
In 2024, Scottish futurist David Wood was part of an informal roundtable discussion at an artificial intelligence (AI) conference in Panama, when the conversation veered to how we can avoid the most disastrous AI futures. His sarcastic answer was far from reassuring. First, we would need to amass the entire body of AI research ever […]
Ancient viruses embedded in our DNA help to switch genes on and off, research
A new study has found that humans acquired from ancient viruses play an important role in switching parts of their genetic codes on and off. Almost half of the human genome is made up of segments called mobility elements (TEs) and can hop around the genome, which is also called “jump genes.” Some of these […]