In 2012, some amateur astronomers reported the sighting of an unheard-of event: what was then called a cloud at the Martian limb apparently higher than 200 km above the planet’s surface. Such report received some attention from the mass media, particularly at the internet, but went mostly unnoticed among the professional community. However, the Planetary […]
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Mesozoic mammals more diverse than previously thought The discovery of two fossils dating back about 160 million years suggests an extensive ecological diversity among early mammals that coexisted with dinosaurs during the Mesozoic era. The two fossils are of a mole-like animal that lived below ground and a creature that lived in the trees, each […]
The human brain is one of the most intriguing pieces of Nature. Since science is science, or even before, the human being has tried to understand the reason for its existence. Studies of comparative anatomy and physiology in the context of evolutionary theory began to define it as a rarity in the natural realm. We […]
Most people in Spain have heard about the ongoing bitter polemic between the Victims of Hepatitis C Platform and the Spanish government with regard to the access to a new medication called Sovaldi approved by the Spanish government last 1st October. The main reason for such clash between them is simple: the asking price for […]
Sad as it may be, every star must die. At some point during its life it stops burning nuclear elements to sustain itself via radiation pressure, and collapses. Its ultimate fate depends on its mass; most of them are not massive enough to produce a supernova by themselves, but they die in an equally spectacular […]
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Sea slug can use photosynthesis for nutrition by taking gene from algae The emerald sea slug steals a gene from the algae it eats, allowing it to get nourishment from photosynthesis. Discovery Chimps adopt new calls when moved to new groups Chimps who move into a new group change their calls to match those of […]
On 6 June, 1944 (also termed “the D-day”), the Allied army irrupted into the shores of western France in what was called the Invasion of Normandy, during the last stages of World War II. The operation began with hundreds of amphibian landing vehicles emerging from the sea and unloading their cargo – the Infantry divisions […]
Alternative medicine is often promoted on the argument that it can do no harm. Even though its advocates are aware that its effectiveness has not been scientifically demonstrated, they do believe that it is harmless and therefore it should be used. “If not alone, you should at least use it in combination with evidence-based treatments” […]
We all know how Spider-Man moves through the city, shooting spider-webs from wall to wall. But, have you ever wondered if he is actually using the shortest route? And, if so, how does he compute it? Since walls introduce a third dimension into the problem, the algorithms in a usual GPS navigator are no longer […]
Bubbles of radioactive nickle may have made holes in Cassiopeia A Expanding bubbles of radioactive nickle may be responsible for holes seen in the supernova Cassiopeia A, which exploded 340 years ago 11,000 light-years from Earth. Researchers say their bubble theory could also account for large rings seen in the outer regions of Cassiopeia A […]