Paleontologists in Madagascar have identified a new genus and species of enantiornithine bird that had a long and deep beak, a morphology that was previously unknown among Mesozoic birds. Falcatakely forsterae amidst non-avian dinosaurs and other animals from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar. Image credit: Mark Witton. The newly-identified bird …
Read More »Biomineral Armor
A team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Smithsonian Institution has discovered a dense layer of biogenic high-magnesium calcite in the exoskeletons of major workers of the leaf-cutter ant Acromyrmex echinatior; they’ve also found that this armor accumulates rapidly as ant workers mature and that the biomineral …
Read More »Solar CNO Neutrinos
For most of their existence, stars are fuelled by the fusion of hydrogen into helium. Fusion proceeds via two processes that are well understood theoretically: the proton-proton (p-p) chain and the carbon-nitrogen-oxygen (CNO) cycle. Neutrinos that are emitted along such processes in the solar core are the only direct probe …
Read More »800 Year Old Blanket
By the very early CE in the U.S. Upland Southwest, turkey feather blankets or robes began to replace those made with strips of rabbit fur. Feather blankets would have been important possessions of most members of Ancestral Pueblo communities. In a new study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: …
Read More »Sales Increase 20%-30%
Strong e-commerce sales are predicted to help lift overall holiday retail spending in the U.S., according to forecasts released today by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and eMarketer. Both firms expect to see overall retail sales growth during November and December, though the market may be impacted by slowing …
Read More »Tesla Worth Half A Trillion Dollars
Surging Tesla shares have pushed the company’s market capitalization to more than $515 billion, a fivefold increase since the start of the year. The traditionally volatile stock has continued to experience price swings. But since reaching a low for the year in March, Tesla’s share price has been on an …
Read More »Starship Test Next Week
SpaceX is preparing for the next major milestone in the development of its next-gen Starship spacecraft. Following a successful static fire test this week, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has announced on Twitter that the company wants to perform a high-altitude test flight as early as next week. The Starship …
Read More »3,000 Year Old Fort In Israel
A team of archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) has uncovered the remnants of an ancient fortified complex believed to have been founded by the Geshurites, the ally of King David, in the 11th or 10th century BCE. Dr. Tzin with a figurine and an engraved stone at the …
Read More »Microgravity Affects Genes
A genetic analysis of transparent nematodes Caenorhabditis elegans on the International Space Station showed ‘subtle changes’ in about 1,000 genes; stronger effects were found in some genes, especially those responsible for neuronal function and cellular metabolism. Willis et al. performed comparative transcriptomic analysis of Caenorhabditis elegans responses to varying degrees …
Read More »Hyperbaric Oxygen
Hyperbaric oxygen treatments may induce significant senolytic effects in healthy aging adults, according to new research from Tel Aviv University and the Shamir Medical Center. Hachmo et al. prove that the aging process can be reversed at the basic cellular-molecular level. Aging can be characterized by the progressive loss of …
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