1. Neutrinos change flavours
Strange particles called neutrinos have a habit of switching identities, changing from one flavour into another - a transformation that may help probe some of the fundamental mysteries of the universe.
Now researchers conducting an underground particle detector experiment in China have published their latest measurements of this shape-shifting, which is called neutrino oscillation, and report the most precise values known for certain parameters describing how it occurs.
2. Huge iron plume discovered under Atlantic
A large plume of iron-rich water has been discovered emanating from hydrothermal vents in the southern Atlantic Ocean, significantly increasing estimated global concentrations of this vital marine nutrient.
Dissolved iron is often a limiting nutrient for phytoplankton, meaning that its distribution across the ocean often controls where phytoplankton blooms: Regions lacking in iron are generally devoid of this floating plant life.
3. Oldest globe to show Americas discovered
The oldest known globe to represent the New World has been discovered, researchers say.
Dated to the early 1500s, the globe was likely crafted in Florence, Italy, from the lower halves of two ostrich eggs. It is engraved with then-new and vague details about the Americas garnered from European explorers like Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci. It is also decorated with monsters, intertwining waves and even a shipwrecked sailor, according to the Washington Map Society, which published a study of the artefact in its journal The Portolan.
4. Medieval poison ring uncovered
Archaeologists have discovered a ring with an inconspicuous cavity that they believe may have been used to hide poison for political murders in medieval Bulgaria.
The bronze ring, which is more than 600 years old, was found during excavations at the ruins of Cape Kailakra, where aristocrats of the Dobrudja region lived during the 14th century.
5. 10 years of weather in 3 minutes
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has retired its powerhouse GOES-12 weather-monitoring satellite, the agency announced this week.
The GOES-12 satellite, decommissioned Aug. 16, kept a watchful eye on the East Coast from 2003 to 2010. From Hurricanes Katrina and Charley to the 2010 Christmas blizzard that paralyzed New York City, the space-borne observer helped forecasters track storms and severe weather 24 hours a day.
6. Men want condoms that fit
Many men want more condom sizes, new research suggests.
When offered more than the usual range of options, many men seek a more customized fit, according to a study published in July in the journal Sexual Health. Only about 1 in 7 men go with the standard sizes offered in the United States.
7. This caterpillar can hop for 3 days
Hop over, Mexican jumping beans: Scientists have discovered another fascinating caterpillar species with impressive jumping skills.
During its larval stage, the moth Calindoea trifascialis crawls the dry forest floors of southern Vietnam amongst elephants and flying insects, spending most of its time chewing away at a protective, tent-like structure it makes out of leaf parts.
8. Odd hallucination: women hears forgotten songs
Credit: Worried woman image via Shutterstock
One night as she lay down to sleep, a 60-year-old woman suddenly started having strange hallucinations. She told her doctors she heard music that seemed like it was playing from a radio at the back of her head.
Within a few months, she was hearing music all the time, with some songs on repeat for up to three weeks. Curiously, she did not recognize many of the tunes that dogged her, but they had full vocals and instrumentals; and when she sang or hummed the melodies for her husband, he identified them as popular songs.
9. Egyptian jewellery came from outer space
Ancient Egyptian beads found in a 5,000-year-old tomb were made from iron meteorites that fell to Earth from space, according to a new study. The beads, which are the oldest known iron artefacts in the world, were crafted roughly 2,000 years before Egypt's Iron Age.
In 1911, nine tube-shaped beads were excavated from an ancient cemetery near the village of el-Gerzeh, which is located south of Cairo, said study lead author Thilo Rehren, a professor at UCL Qatar, a Western Asian outpost of the University College London's Institute of Archaeology. The tomb dates back to approximately 3200 B.C., the researchers said.
10. Oldest 'bog body' with skin intact
Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of a 4,000-year-old man preserved in an Irish peat bog, marking the oldest European bog body ever found with skin still intact.
The cool, waterlogged conditions of Northern European bogs (a type of wetland) create low-oxygen, highly acidic environments ideal for body preservation. As a result, hundreds of "bog bodies" dating back thousands of years have been uncovered in the region, but many have shrivelled down to mostly skeletons and tend to be closer to 2,000 years old.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please adhere to proper blog etiquette when posting your comments. This blog owner will exercise his absolution discretion in allowing or rejecting any comments that are deemed seditious, defamatory, libelous, racist, vulgar, insulting, and other remarks that exhibit similar characteristics. If you insist on using anonymous comments, please write your name or other IDs at the end of your message.