Life in early colonial Mexico charted on unique aztec map A rare map dating back to 1593 offers clues about Spanish explorers and the indigenous peoples of Mexico. The map, which is available to view on the Library of Congress website, is called the Codex Quetzalecatzin and details the lineage of a family known as […]
Massive geomagnetic storm likely cause of red skies over East Asia in 1770 A powerful geomagnetic storm is the likely cause of red auroras seen in the skies for nine days over much of East Asia in 1770. Researchers scoured more than 100 historical documents and drawings to find accounts of the major event, which […]
Gravity changes could help determine quake magnitudes faster Signals from Earth’s gravitational field could help seismologists determine the magnitude of large quakes more quickly. The quicker a temblor’s actual size can be determined, the sooner emergency personnel can know how many resources may be needed to respond. Nature Large cache of fossilized pterosaur eggs found […]
Right-sided blue whales roll left when feeding Blue whales, who normally exhibit a right-side bias, change to a left-side bias when feeding on small crustaceans. Researchers attached cameras, hydrophones and sensors to blue whales and noticed that they typically roll to the left during feeding, likely to allow their dominant right eye to more effectively […]
Living stromatolites discovered in remote wetlands of Tasmania Microbial mats of living stromatolites, which first appeared on Earth at least 3.5 billion years ago but are very rare now, have been found in a remote wetland area of Tasmania. Researchers were surprised to find the stromatolites thriving in a freshwater environment since most stromatolite communities […]
Detailed carving found on small gem in ancient Greek tomb A detailed scene of a warrior in battle carved on an ancient gemstone about 3.6 centimeters long was uncovered in Greece by researchers after they cleaned away dirt and limestone. The so-called Pylos Combat Agate was among 1,400 artifacts found in a tomb dating back […]
Malaria-causing parasites drive mosquitoes to bite humans Mosquitoes infected with parasites that induce malaria tend to seek out humans more when the parasite is in the infectious stage, suggesting the parasite is controlling mosquitoes’ behavior. Researchers say that when Plasmodium falciparum is in the transmissible stage, it will drive mosquitoes to feed on human blood […]
Ancient feathered dinosaur had raccoon-like facial markings The feathered dinosaur Sinosauropteryx, which lived in northeast China between 133 million and 120 million years ago, had bandit-like markings on its face like a raccoon, as well as a banded tail and counter-shading. Researchers say the unique colour patterns may have helped the small dinosaur blend into […]
Saber-toothed cats were around longer than previously believed DNA analysis of a feline jawbone has revealed that a type of saber-toothed cat lived 28,000 years ago, around the same time as modern humans and much later than previously thought. The findings are helping researchers learn even more about Homotherium latidens, aka the scimitar cat, including […]
Ancient Easter Islanders’ ancestry charted through DNA tests Ancient Easter Island inhabitants had no contact with outside people before Europeans came in the early 1700s. “They are 100% completely Polynesian ancestry as far as we can see,” said study author Pontus Skoglund. The New York Times Soft tissues, stomach contents found in well-preserved salamander fossil […]