Iceland volcano’s magma hits unprecedented speed Magma underneath Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula flows at an “ultra-rapid” 7,400 cubic meters per second, and the same magma river likely caused Thursday’s eruption. The unprecedented speed indicates the role of not only pressure but also tectonic stress and ground fracturing in a volcano’s likelihood to erupt, says Sigrun Hreinsdottir […]
Neolithic burial site poses mystery of missing bones Missing skulls and thigh bones have sparked questions about burial practices in early Neolithic Sweden, where archaeologists have revisited one of Scandinavia’s oldest stone burial chambers from around 3500 BCE. The site, called a dolmen, holds the remains of 12 or more people of varying ages, and […]
Invasive ants disrupt hunting by lions in Kenya Invasive ants have disrupted interspecies patterns in Kenya, triggering a drop in the number of zebras killed by lions. As big-headed ants spread in East Africa, they kill native acacia ants, which leads to the destruction of whistling-thorn trees that lions use as cover when hunting. Full […]
Researchers link reaction inside moon to unique rocks A reaction between magma and solids that occurred beneath the lunar surface 3.5 billion years ago may have created unique rocks now sitting on the moon. The rocks contain high levels of titanium, say researchers, who combined high-temperature molten-rock laboratory experiments with a close review of basalts […]
New archaeology method could confirm Bible event Thermal demagnetization, a new method used on mud bricks that are thousands of years old, may help archaeologists understand information preserved in burned material. The technique could reveal how building materials were made, and the authors of the study say in this case it corroborates the Bible’s description […]
Octopus DNA helps scientists resolve geological mystery Scientists analyzed the genetic history of an octopus species living in the Antarctic to confirm a theory about when the West Antarctic ice sheet last collapsed. The Turquet’s octopus has different populations separated by the West Antarctic ice shelves today, but the creature’s family tree indicates that the […]
Morning people may have inherited Neanderthal genes People’s predisposition to wake up early may be linked to inherited genetic variants from Neanderthals, who lived at high latitudes in Europe and Asia and evolved to cope with seasonal variation in daylight. Full Story: CNN Lights attract migrating birds into cities at night Light pollution draws migratory […]
Warming waters may release methane “fire-ice” Methane hydrate, or fire-ice, frozen underneath the ocean floor can thaw and release methane into the atmosphere as the climate warms. Researchers used 3D seismic imaging techniques to examine a portion of fire-ice off the coast of Mauritania and discovered that some dislodged methane moved from a hydrate stability […]
Army ants use collective decision-making when hunting Ants use relatively sophisticated problem-solving abilities to collectively overcome obstacles when hunting for food. The insects often build a bridge by linking their bodies when they face an obstacle, such as a gap between leaves, suggesting that the insects exercise collective decision-making and weigh the costs and benefits […]
Bonobos show pro-social cooperation between groups Bonobos demonstrate cooperation between different social groups such as forming alliances and sharing food, according to a study of wild adult bonobos in the Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Bonobos show that the ability to maintain peaceful between-group relationships while extending acts of pro-sociality and […]