Around 1,500 years ago, perhaps around 450 CE, unknown raiders stormed the small, prosperous village of Sandby borg on the shore of Öland island, and slaughtered the inhabitants, leaving the bodies where they fell. Now, archaeologists in Sweden have stumbled upon this grisly mystery. With less than 7 percent of the site excavated, the research
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A Russian startup has created a new way to help companies connect with job-seekers and interview them. Her name is Vera, and she’s able to interview as many as 1,500 job candidates in a single work day, sorting through potential hires at a rate that would take most recruiters months to match. She even
More than a thousand low-lying tropical islands risk becoming “uninhabitable” by the middle of the century – or possibly sooner – because of rising sea levels, upending the populations of some island nations and endangering key US military assets, according to startling new research published Wednesday. The threats to the islands are twofold. In
Peering billions of light-years back to when the Universe was just 10 percent of its current age, astronomers have spotted a colossal pile-up: 14 young, starbursting galaxies merging into one of the most massive structures in the Universe. Using some of the most powerful telescopes in operation today, an international research team discovered the
It all started with a “rancid stench”. Then the authorities were called. “You cannot imagine. It was so awful,” Soary Randrianjafizanaka, the regional head of Madagascar’s environmental agency, told National Geographic. A two-story home in the city of Toliara, Madagascar had been filled to the brim with 10,976 critically endangered radiated tortoises (Astrochelys radiata).
Back in March 2016, scientists released the first audio recordings taken from the deepest point on Earth’s surface, Challenger Deep, at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Filled with strange moans, low rumbles, and the occasional high-pitched screech, the soundbites below shed rare light on the dark world that lies 10.9 km (6.7 miles) below the
Visiting the Institut Curie in Paris recently got me thinking about the distinct lack of famous female Nobel Prize winners in science (Marie Curie excepted). The world rightly celebrated the incredible life and achievements of Stephen Hawking when he died last month. Yet the recent 60th anniversary of another brilliant scientist who also didn’t win a
For the first time, scientists have managed to show quantum entanglement – which Einstein famously described as “spooky action at a distance” – happening between macroscopic objects, a major step forward in our understanding of quantum physics. Quantum entanglement links particles in a way that they instantly affect each other, even over vast distances. On the
Ornithologists have classified the Vogelkop superb bird-of-paradise as its own species after recognizing differences in two similar-looking kinds of the birds. These birds-of-paradise are famous for evolving super-black feathers that absorb nearly all light, and their haunting courtship dances (see video below). But now scientists have discovered there are actually two species. For years,
In August 2014, the European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft pulled up to Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and studied the gritty, duck-shaped object for 2 years. Today the ESA continues to publish new images taken by the probe, and in March it released a fresh batch of data. Many of Rosetta’s photos were taken in sequence –
Scientists have identified a sudden explosion of mineral diversity on the surface of our planet that would not exist if it weren’t for humans, adding weight to the argument that we’re living in a new geological epoch – the Anthropocene. A 2017 study found that the incredible upsurge of new minerals around the time
Nobody can attend everything. Still, sometimes there’s an event you really wanted to go to, but responsibilities got in the way. Maybe you had to work late, or you promised you’d go to your great aunt’s 90th the same day your friend decided to throw the house party of the year. Either way, fear
If you are looking to make a bone dagger – and come on, who isn’t – scientists have your back. In a slightly creepy study, they’ve examined the structural properties of several and determined that the creme de la creme are those made out of human thigh bones. Bone daggers are a common tool
In the ongoing search for extraterrestrial intelligence, it’s easy to become discouraged sometimes, what with all the evidence stacking up for why we’ve never heard from aliens in all the vastness of the cosmos. Now an astrophysicist from Germany has come up with another sound reason for our frustrating lack of close encounters, and
A mystery shipwreck has been found by accident during a mapping survey off Australia’s north-west coast. The wreck was discovered in 60 metres of water by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) off Broome in Western Australia. The wreck suddenly appeared on the sonar of the RV (research vessel) Solande as it was
Whenever we’ve tried to test the effects that living in isolation without sunlight have on the body, a common thread has emerged: much longer sleep cycles. Back in 2015, Julie Beck over at The Atlantic pulled together the findings from a number of different experiments that all saw the participants involved drifting off for days at a time…
You’ve probably heard that the atoms that make up your body and all other normal matter in the Universe are mostly empty space. That’s actually true – yet we seem solid. Solid enough the elements in our atoms can’t just pass through the empty spaces of other atoms, and vice versa. You might wish
After years in development, the world’s first passive plastic collection device is going to be deployed in the Pacific Ocean in an attempt to do something about plastic pollution. Dedicated to removing debris from the oceans, the device will be set up between California and Hawaii in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a region
Every year, on April 22, many citizens of planet Earth band together to call for action on global warming, climate change, and a clean environment. Known as Earth Day, this campaign has been going strong for nearly 50 years, and people use it to organise marches, raise public awareness of environmental issues, and stage various
Two years ago, former NASA climate scientist James Hansen and a number of colleagues laid out a dire scenario in which gigantic pulses of fresh water from melting glaciers could upend the circulation of the oceans, leading to a world of fast-rising seas and even superstorms. Hansen’s scenario was based on a computer simulation,
With the help of the increasingly useful material graphene, scientists have managed to confine light into the smallest space possible – the size of a single atom. If light can be locked up so tightly, it opens up all kinds of possibilities for electronics, sensors, and imaging devices in the future, potentially leading to computer
Astronomers have finally figured out what the clouds of Uranus consist of – and as it turns out, they smell terrible. For the first time, there’s been a clear detection of hydrogen sulfide, the gas that gives rotten eggs – and flatulence – their distinctive aroma. In spite of decades of observations, the composition
Astronomers have found a planet so dark it absorbs almost all light that hits it through a dense layer of haze. Its discoverers have compared it to charcoal, and it’s one of the darkest planets ever discovered. The planet in question, named WASP-104b, is a type of planet known as a hot Jupiter. Hot
NASA has been running aerial surveys over the Arctic for 10 years now, but the vast icy wilderness is still throwing up inexplicable surprises nobody’s ever seen before. Case in point: just what are these weird circular formations spotted from a P–3 research plane flying over the Beaufort Sea last week? The image above
Squids are some of the most uncanny ocean animals we see. They’re twisty, and strange, and have cephalopod cunning. And now marine biologists have found a squid unlike any they’ve seen before. The crew of the NOAA’s research vessel Okeanos Explorer spotted the creature deep under the waves of the Gulf of Mexico, in
Reddit doesn’t have the best reputation. Between the sexism, racism, and general harassment levied by and toward users daily, the internet’s “front page” might also be its most toxic. However, Reddit does have at least one positive trait: It can help people cope with mental disorders. A quick primer on Reddit: The site is
Next time you’re having a bad day, feeling sluggish, or simply uninspired about your existence, we have a solution. Watch this video, and remember that within us all are fiery, dancing cells working their butts off just to keep us alive. Although we’ve known for decades how cells move throughout organisms, this video is the first
For 30 years, the lesser long-nosed bat languished on the endangered species list, the federal government’s sick ward for animals on the verge of being wiped out. Its story, like those of most animals on the list, was a downer. Researchers counted fewer than a thousand in 1988 as human development moved in on
It’s no secret that life can be easier for beautiful people. Studies have shown being good-looking has benefits for your health, intelligence, and helps with making friends. Being physically attractive can also literally pay off, as many people believe it can mean you make more money. In short, beautiful people are more confident, have more social
Imagine you’re heading out for a dinner date. You’re hungry and left enough time to get there and not be late, but when you step outside you find that conditions aren’t quite what you expected – you run into a 30-foot wall every few steps. What would you do? If you’re anything like me,
Your computer keyboard is probably dirtier than a toilet seat. In fact, an Australian study found that the typical desk has 400 times the amount of bacteria found on a toilet seat. Toilet seats actually harbour around 50 bacteria per square inch, making that a relatively un-germy zone. Not so with the computer, especially those shared by
People who think their knowledge and beliefs are superior to others are especially prone to overestimating what they actually know, new research suggests. Even after getting feedback showing them how much they didn’t know relevant political facts, these people still claimed that their beliefs were objectively more correct than everyone else’s. On top of
Research suggests there’s a good scientific reason why some of us struggle to look someone in the eye and hold a conversation with them. It turns out we’re not just awkward, our brains actually can’t handle the tasks of thinking of the right words and focussing on a face at the same time. The
Quick: What kind of dog is that? Using its scruffy face, plump black nose and blondish fur as clues, you might guess that it’s part or all Wheaten terrier. And that might lead you to think this dog, being of the vermin-catching terrier stock, would like to chase other animals. (Darwin’s Dogs) But according to a DNA test by researchers
Today, Microsoft is trying to keep up with other tech giants, but sixteen years ago, the company was regarded as a leader in technology. In 1999, Microsoft released a video segment about the connected home of the future. While the bulky 90s products, like a cell phone that looks more like a Game Boy, have since
Okay, time to stop everything and nut out a brain teaser: if Earth is spinning to the east at 1,180 km/h (733 mph), and we’re in a plane flying west, shouldn’t we get to our destination quicker, seeing as it’s literally spinning towards us? The short answer is no, because our plane is also
Since the beginning of last year, 2,000 Finns have been getting money from the government each month — and they are not expected to do anything in return. The participants, ages 25 to 58, are all unemployed and were selected at random by Kela, Finland’s social-security institution. Instead of unemployment benefits, the participants now
A deaf, partially blind dog was made an honorary police pooch after helping rescue a three-year-old girl who got lost in the Australian bush, in Queensland. Seventeen-year-old blue heeler Max stayed with the girl, named locally as Aurora, overnight and then helped lead her grandmother directly to her location after a huge search and rescue
Scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are conducting an expedition to explore the uncharted waters in the deepest parts of the Gulf of Mexico – and the footage they’re bringing back is stunning, or horrifying, depending on your view of the underwater world. Last week, one of NOAA’s submersibles came across a large octopus on the seafloor just
Yellowstone National Park sits squarely over a giant, active volcano. This requires attention. Yellowstone has been a national park since 1872, but it was only in the 1960s that scientists realized the scale of the volcano — it’s 44 miles across — and not until the 1980s did they grasp that this thing is fully
Diamond isn’t the first material that springs to mind when it comes to bending and stretching, but scientists have found a way to manipulate one of the hardest minerals on Earth – and it could lead to a slew of technological advances. Not only is diamond hard, it’s also very brittle. But the new study
We have many options when it comes to how we drink water, given the large range of consumer products available. But which option is the smartest choice from an environmental perspective? According to the waste management hierarchy, the best option is one that avoids waste altogether. Recyclable options are less preferable, and landfill disposal
Astronomers have just finished using an X-ray telescope to peer into galactic haloes, only to find Universe’s missing matter isn’t hiding there, either. But it’s gotta be out there somewhere… The Universe is made up of loads of matter. There’s normal, or baryonic, matter – that’s the stuff we can detect. Space dust and
The mass quantities of food Americans waste every year has staggering environmental consequences, according to a study published Wednesday. “Our data suggest that the average person in the United States wastes about a pound of food per day,” said the University of Vermont’s Meredith Niles, one of the study’s authors along with researchers at the
The first scientific expedition to the depths of the Indian Ocean southwest of Java has returned with some amazing treasure: at least 11 unusual deep-sea species that were previously unknown to science. Jointly conducted by the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, the expedition collected over 12,000 specimens from
When it comes to defending the nest, ants have developed a whole bunch of unique and painful ways to stop their enemies. But a new and bizarre species of “exploding ant” (Colobopsis explodens) blows them all away. During territorial combat, these tree-dwelling ants latch onto their enemies, split open their own insides, and spill yellow,
The deepest dive recorded by the free-diving Bajau Laut people of Southeast Asia was to an impressive 79 metres (259 feet), and the longest time spent underwater by them was just over three minutes. Although the Bajau do not dive to these depths or for this length of time during their day-to-day fishing, they
Dogs can quickly feel like part of the family, and a new study shows that our canine pals share more similarities with human beings than we thought – particularly when it comes to gut microbiomes and responses to diet. By analysing poop samples, both with and without special diets in place, researchers found that
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