Science
“Science is fun. Science is curiosity. We all have natural curiosity. Science is a process of investigating. It’s posing questions and coming up with a method. It’s delving in.”
Dinosaur tracks uncovered at site of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s refuge
Jacobite leader was unknowingly ‘following the footprints’ of megalosaurs after escaping to the Isle of Skye in 1746. When Bonnie Prince Charlie fled the Scottish Highlands after defeat at the Battle of Culloden, his route may have crossed the fossilised footsteps of massive meat-eating dinosaurs, researchers say. Newly discovered impressions at Prince Charles’s Point on the Isle of Skye, where the Young Pretender is said to have hunkered down.
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Source. theguardian.com, 02.04.2025
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Space probe to map carbon content of world’s remotest tropical forests
Revolutionary scanner to be fired into Earth orbit this month to measure effects of deforestation. Scientists are about to take part in a revolutionary mission aimed at creating detailed 3D maps of the world’s remotest, densest and darkest tropical forests – from outer space. The feat will be achieved using a special radar scanner that has been fitted to a probe, named Biomass, that will be fired into the Earth’s orbit later this month.
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Source. theguardian.com, 05.04.2025
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Scientists target queen bees in search of secret to longer life
UK’s £800m research body backs project that could unlock radical therapies to extend human lifespans. The curious case of the queen bee has long had scientists pondering whether the head of the hive harbours the secret to a long and healthy life. While queen bees and workers have nearly identical DNA, the queens enjoy what might be regarded as royal privileges. They are larger, fertile throughout life and survive for years compared with workers.
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Source. theguardian.com, 07.04.2025
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Just a big toy – or key to the universe? Row over even Larger Hadron Collider
Ambitious project could soak up funding for subatomic physics for decades, say opponents. Scientists are refining plans to build the world’s biggest machine at a site beneath the Swiss-French border. More than $30bn (£23bn) would be spent drilling a 91km circular tunnel in which subatomic particles would be accelerated to near light speeds and smashed into each other.
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Source. theguardian.com, 29.03.2025
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Iron age hoard found in North Yorkshire could change Britain’s history
More than 800 objects unearthed near Melsonby show the north was ‘definitely not a backwater’ 2,000 years ago. One of the biggest and most important iron age hoards ever found in the UK has been revealed, potentially altering our understanding of life in Britain 2,000 years ago. More than 800 objects were unearthed in a field near the village of Melsonby, North Yorkshire. They date back to the first century.
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Source. theguardian.com, 25.03.2025
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Dark energy: mysterious cosmic force appears to be weakening, say scientists
Findings could open up possibility the universe will end in a reverse big bang or ‘big crunch’, say cosmologists. Dark energy, the mysterious force powering the expansion of the universe, appears to be weakening, according to a survey that could “overthrow” scientists’ current understanding of the fate of the cosmos.
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Source. theguardian.com, 19.03.2025
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Underwater ‘doorbell’ helps scientists catch coral-eating fish in Florida
Researchers use innovative cameras to identify fish species hindering coral reef restoration. Marine scientists in Florida working to help reverse a calamitous decades-long decline in coral reefs caught fishy “porch pirates” in the act with an innovative underwater doorbell-style surveillance camera.
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Source. theguardian.com, 16.03.2025
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‘Spreadsheets of empire’: red tape goes back 4,000 years, say scientists after Iraq finds
Ancient Mesopotamian stone tablets show extraordinary detail and reach of government in cradle of world civilisations. The red tape of government bureaucracy spans more than 4,000 years, according to new finds from the cradle of the world’s civilisations, Mesopotamia. Hundreds of administrative tablets – the earliest physical evidence of the first empire in recorded history – have been discovered by archaeologists from the British Museum.
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Source. theguardian.com, 15.03.2025
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‘It’s human conceit to think we’re alone’: life must extend beyond Earth, leading space scientist says
It is imperative humans expand their understanding of space, argues Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock. Life must exist beyond Earth, a leading space scientist says, adding it is yet another example of human pride to suppose otherwise. The British space scientist said that while science had made giant leaps in the understanding of space, including the sheer size of the universe, there was still much to learn – not least whether humans were alone.
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Source. theguardian.com, 14.03.2025
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Passing probe captures images of mysterious Mars moon
Hera spacecraft takes photos of red planet’s second moon, Deimos, while en route to asteroids 110m miles away. A European spacecraft has taken photos of Mars’s smaller and more mysterious second moon during its flight past the planet en route to a pair of asteroids more than 110m miles (177m km) away. The Hera probe activated a suite of instruments to capture images of the red planet and Deimos, a small and lumpy 8-mile-wide moon.
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Source. theguardian.com, 13.03.2025
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Astronomers discover 128 new moons orbiting Saturn
Planet now has 274 moons, almost twice as many as all the other planets in the solar system combined. Astronomers have discovered 128 new moons orbiting Saturn, giving it an insurmountable lead in the running tally of moons in the solar system. Until recently, the “moon king” title was held by Jupiter, but Saturn now has a total of 274 moons, almost twice as many as all the other planets combined.
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Source. theguardian.com, 11.03.2025
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Scientists create ‘e-Taste’ device that could add flavour to virtual reality experiences
Potential uses for gadget could include online shopping, weight management and sensory testing, say researchers. If your colleague bores you to tears with pictures of their lunch, then a new gadget could make your life even worse. Scientists have developed a device to recreate the flavours of food and drink, allowing them to be shared remotely in a matter of seconds – but they have not yet cracked spicy food.
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Source. theguardian.com, 28.02.2025
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Striking images show Blue Ghost Mission 1’s successful moon landing
US firm Firefly Aerospace celebrates second-ever commercial lunar landing. A US company has successfully landed its spacecraft on the moon, marking only the second private mission to achieve the milestone – and the first to do so upright. Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 touched down at 8.34am GMT near Mons Latreille, a volcanic formation in Mare Crisium on the moon’s north-eastern near side.
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Source. theguardian.com, 02.03.2025
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Scientists aiming to bring back woolly mammoth create woolly mice
Genetically modified mice have traits geared towards cold tolerance, in step towards modifying elephants. A plan to revive the mammoth is on track, scientists have said after creating a new species: the woolly mouse. Scientists at the US biotechnology company Colossal Biosciences plan to “de-extinct” the prehistoric pachyderms by genetically modifying Asian elephants to give them woolly mammoth traits.
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Source. theguardian.com, 04.03.2025
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Mars once had an ocean with sandy beaches, researchers say
China’s Zhurong rover finds evidence of shoreline buried deep underground. Mars may not seem like a prime holiday spot with its arid landscape and punishing radiation levels, but it once boasted beaches, researchers have found. While previous discoveries of features including valley networks and sedimentary rocks has suggested the red planet once had flowing rivers, there has been debate among scientists over whether it also had oceans.
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Source. theguardian.com, 24.02.2025
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Dozens of jobs open up ... in Antarctica
Job openings so cool they are practically ice cold have opened up. Antarctica NZ is looking for a crew of 40 to join Scott Base for the 2025/26 research season - and you do not need to be a scientist. General manager for Antarctic operations Mike Shapland told RNZ's Midday Report Scott Base was "almost like a small city, it's like a small town".
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 24.02.2025
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‘You dream about such things’: Brit who discovered missing pharaoh’s tomb may have unearthed another
Archaeologist believes his ‘find of the century’ – of Pharaoh Thutmose II – could be surpassed by ongoing excavation. To uncover the location of one long-lost pharaoh’s tomb is a career-defining moment for an archaeologist. But to find a second is the stuff of dreams. Last week British archaeologist Piers Litherland announced the find of the century – the first discovery of a rock-cut pharaoh’s tomb in Egypt since Tutankhamun’s in 1922.
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Source. theguardian.com, 22.02.2025
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Space mission aims to map water on surface of the moon
A probe to be launched this week aims to pinpoint sites of lunar water, which could help plan to colonise the Earth’s satellite. Space engineers are set to launch an unusual mission this week when they send a probe built by UK and US researchers to the moon to map water on its surface. Lunar Trailblazer’s two year mission is scheduled to begin on Thursday when the probe is blasted into space from Florida on a Space X Falcon rocket.
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Source. theguardian.com, 22.02.2025
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Many birds-of-paradise species emit light through their plumage, study finds
Researchers found that most birds-of-paradise are biofluorescent – meaning they absorb light through their bodies. Birds-of-paradise are known for their bright and colourful plumage, but it turns out they are even more dazzling than previously thought. Researchers have found 37 of the 45 species show biofluorescence – in other words, patches of their plumage or other body parts absorb UV or blue light, and emit light at lower frequencies.
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Source. theguardian.com, 12.02.2025
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Asteroid’s chances of hitting Earth in 2032 just got higher – but don’t panic
Space rock now has 2.3% risk of collision – up from 1.3% in December – but danger is likely to fall with more data. It might not be the world-ending apocalypse foretold in the Netflix drama Don’t Look Up, but astronomers have significantly upped the odds of a direct hit from a giant asteroid currently hurtling towards Earth. According to Nasa’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (Cneos), the odds of a strike in 2032 by the space rock 2024 YR.
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Source. theguardian.com, 06.02.2025
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Cockatoos show appetite for dips when eating bland food, find scientists
Birds observed going to lengths to flavour food, with particular penchant for blueberry-flavoured soy yoghurt dip. Whether you savour Ottolenghi’s recipes or prefer a feast from Nigella’s cookery books, humans enjoy mixing flavours and textures when preparing food. Now research suggests some cockatoos do too. Researchers have previously discovered that some of the birds dunk dry rusks in water before eating them.
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Source. theguardian.com, 10.02.2025
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Euclid telescope captures Einstein ring revealing warping of space
Dazzling image shows galaxy more than 4bn light years away, whose starlight has been bent due to gravity. The Euclid space telescope has captured a rare phenomenon called an Einstein ring that reveals the extreme warping of space by a galaxy’s gravity. The dazzling image shows a nearby galaxy, NGC 6505, surrounded by a perfect circle of light. The ring gives a glimpse of a more distant galaxy, sitting directly behind NGC 6505.
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Source. theguardian.com, 10.02.2025
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Scientists find that things really do seem better in the morning
UCL study into mental health and wellbeing finds that people generally feel worse at night and on Sundays. Nightmare day at work? Date stand you up? Don’t worry, things really will seem better in the morning. In the most comprehensive study of its kind, scientists have found that generally, the world feels brighter when you wake up.
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Source. theguardian.com, 05.02.2025
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UK scientist wins prize for invention that could help avert ‘phosphogeddon’
Phosphate, key to food production, is choking waterways, but a new sponge-like material returns it to the soil for crops. It is one of the least appreciated substances on the planet and its misuse is now threatening to unleash environmental mayhem. Phosphorus is a key component of fertiliser’s that have become vital in providing food for the world. But at the same time, the spread of phosphates into rivers and lakes and streams killing marine life.
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Source. theguardian.com, 02.02.2025
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‘A neural fossil’: human ears try to move when listening, scientists say
Researchers found that muscles move to orient ears toward sound source in vestigial reaction. Wiggling your ears might be more of a pub party piece than a survival skill, but humans still try to prick up their ears when listening hard, researchers have found. Ear movement is crucial in many animals, not least in helping them focus their attention on particular noises and work out which direction they are coming from.
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Source. theguardian.com, 31.01.2025
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It came from outer space: the meterorite that landed in a Cotswolds cul-de-sac
Meteorite falls are extremely rare and offer a glimpse of the processes that formed our world billions of years ago. When a space rock came to an English market town in 2021, scientists raced to find as much out as they could. At 21.54 on 28 February 2021, 16 cameras belonging to amateur sky-watching network UKMON picked up a bright shape headed towards Earth. Pictures show a long white line, which was visible for eight seconds.
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Source. theguardian.com, 04.02.2025
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AI to revolutionise fundamental physics and ‘could show how universe will end’
Advanced artificial intelligence is to revolutionise fundamental physics and could open a window on to the fate of the universe, according to Cern’s next director general. Prof Mark Thomson, the British physicist who will assume leadership of Cern on 1 January 2026, says machine learning is paving the way for advances in particle physics that promise to be comparable to the AI-powered prediction of protein structures that earned Google DeepMind.
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Source. theguardian.com, 03.02.2025
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'Reclaim the real estate of your own mind' - meditation tips from a wellbeing professor
Until a couple of years ago, Julia Rucklidge assumed her own 'mile-a-minute' brain would never be capable of meditation. But tasked with teaching about the science of wellbeing, the University of Canterbury psychology professor - and director of the university's Te Puna Toiora/ Mental Health and Nutrition Research Lab - realised she had to give it a go.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 26.01.2025
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Bioluminescence resembles 'hundreds of blue dimmed LED lights in waves' in Wellington
More bioluminescence may be seen in Kāpiti after a spectacular light show on Paraparaumu beach on Tuesday night. Bioluminescence is a chemical reaction that takes place within some organisms, causing them to emit a light known as luminescence. It typically makes the water's surface appear to have a blue glow. Local photographer Bruce Wang was among those who captured the phenomenon last night.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 22.01.2025
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Supermassive black hole sends out mysterious x-ray flashes, surprising astronomers
A supermassive black hole 270 million lightyears away has surprised astronomers by sending out x-ray flashes that have increased in speed. An international team of astronomers have been monitoring the black hole and according to NASA, they have detected features that have never been seen before. It was the first ever measurement of its kind around a supermassive black hole, NASA said.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 14.01.2025
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Dinosaur dolphins in NZ waters long after extinction elsewhere
Dinosaur dolphins have been found to have survived in Aotearoa's waters long after they went extinct elsewhere. Icthyosaurs are marine reptiles that looked like dolphins, which died out around 100 million years ago. The analysis revealed the ichthyosaur was evolving from a reptile into something more like a whale and managed to survive for 5 million years after its peers around the world went extinct.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 14.01.2025
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Shrinking trees and tuskless elephants: the strange ways species are adapting to humans
As people have shaped the natural world, so wildlife – from mahoganies to magpies – has had to evolve to survive. From the highest mountains to the depths of the ocean, humanity’s influence has touched every part of planet Earth. Many plants and animals are evolving in response, adapting to a human-dominated world.
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Source. theguardian.com, 06.01.2025
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‘Kiss and capture’: scientists offer new theory on how Pluto got its largest moon
Findings suggest Charon collided with dwarf planet and then pair briefly rotated together before separating. Unlike Earth, where the moon orbits the planet, Pluto and Charon orbit each other, with the icy bodies found in the Kuiper Belt beyond Neptune. Now experts say they have unpicked how the system came to be, suggesting Charon and Pluto ended up orbiting each other after a “kiss-and-capture” event.
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Source. theguardian.com, 06.01.2025
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‘The hair stands up’: citizen archaeologists unearth ancient treasures in Scotland
Members of the public are helping to sustain digs across the country, even as volunteering declines. They were moving forward in a line across the 10 sq metre trench, volunteer excavators elbow to elbow with academics, and Joe Fitzpatrick was at the far edge. Fitzpatrick, who has always had a passion for history, got involved with the regular community dig at the site of the East Lomond hillfort, beside the village of Falkland in Fife, as an activity.
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Source. theguardian.com, 03.01.2025
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Prehistoric fossil in museum found to be new species of large carnivorous turtle
Scientists have discovered a new species of prehistoric turtle from what was once a lush forest in Central Australia, after re-examining an unidentified fossil on display in the Northern Territory's largest museum. For years, the fossilised turtle shell sat alongside stuffed birds, insects, lizards and marsupials at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT).
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 03.01.2025
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Chinese avalanche photos reveal electrical phenomenon
Star-gazer’s long-exposure shots unexpectedly capture mysterious blue light of triboluminescence. On 27 October, photographer Shengyu Li set up his camera on a long exposure to record stars in the night sky near a mountain in Sichuan, China. As he waited, suddenly an unstable block of ice broke free from a glacier near the peak of the mountain and set off an avalanche.
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Source. theguardian.com, 26.12.2024
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Cambridge study aims to find out if dogs and their owners are on same wavelength
Scientists to examine if humans’ and dogs’ brains synchronise when they interact in a way similar to parents and babies. Standing patiently on a small fluffy rug, Calisto the flat-coated retriever is being fitted with some hi-tech headwear. She is about to have her brainwaves recorded. Calisto is one of about 40 pet dogs taking part in a study to explore whether their brainwaves synchronise with their owners when the pair interact.
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Source. theguardian.com, 03.01.2025
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Rare new fossil sheds light on NZ’s extinct dolphin-like reptiles
Ichthyosaurs were reptiles that swam in the seas during the time of the dinosaurs. They evolved separately around 250 million years ago, possibly from a crocodile-like ancestor, to resemble fish and modern dolphins. Then, they went extinct around 94 million years ago.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 01.01.2025
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Biggest trackway of dinosaur footprints found in Oxfordshire quarry
Cetiosauruses and a megalosaurus are thought to have left prints at trackway dating to nearly 166m years ago. Gary Johnson was clearing clay with a digger at the Oxfordshire quarry where he works when he hit an unexpected bump in the limestone surface. Johnson had discovered part of an enormous dinosaur trackway dating to nearly 166m years ago, when the quarry was a warm, shallow lagoon crisscrossed by the huge creatures.
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Source. theguardian.com, 02.01.2025
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From new commercial Moon landers to asteroid investigations, expect a slate of exciting space missions in 2025
In 2024, space exploration dazzled the world. NASA's Europa Clipper began its journey to study Jupiter's moon Europa. SpaceX's Starship achieved its first successful landing, a critical milestone for future deep space missions. China made headlines with the Chang'e 6 mission successfully returned samples from the far side of the Moon. Meanwhile, the International Space Station continued to host international crews, including private missions.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 30.12.2024
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Does life feel like it’s speeding up? How to slow down time in 2025
Time flies when you’re… in a boring routine, according to research, which shows that new experiences, from foreign travel to a walk in nature, can alter our perception of time. It’s the time of the year for endless cliches. From “tis the season” and “the gift that keeps on giving” to “new year, new you”, there’s nowhere to hide from tired old phrases. “Christmas comes around quicker each year” – the fact that one year equals one trip around the sun.
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Source. theguardian.com, 29.12.2024
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The Carrington Event: How NZ evaded disaster
A hundred and sixty-five years ago, the largest solar storm on record lit up skies around the globe. And while New Zealand was far enough behind the technological revolution for it to pass without incident, it did not go unnoticed. The Carrington Event - named after its discoverer, British astronomer Richard Carrington - spanned August to September 1859.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 29.12.2024
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Nasa’s Parker solar probe attempts closest ever pass of sun
Probe was scheduled to pass 3.8 million miles from sun’s surface on Christmas Eve. Nasa’s Parker solar probe is attempting its closest ever flyby of the sun, passing 3.8m miles from its surface on Christmas Eve. The spacecraft was scheduled to make the record-breaking approach, known as a perihelion, at 6.53am US eastern time (11.53 GMT).
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Source. theguardian.com, 24.12.2024
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‘Really incredible’ sixth-century sword found in Kent
A spectacular sixth-century sword has been unearthed from an Anglo-Saxon cemetery in rural Kent, to the astonishment of archaeologists. The weapon is in an exceptional state of preservation and is being likened to the sword found at Sutton Hoo, the Anglo-Saxon burial in Suffolk.
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Source. theguardian.com, 26.12.2024
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‘Like a giant bird box’: the volunteers building huge snowdrifts for Finland’s pregnant seals
As warmer winters melt the snow drifts that endangered Saimaa ringed seals use to raise their young, humans are giving them a helping hand. Eight hours shovelling snow in -20C might not sound like the ideal day out, but a committed team of volunteers in Finland are working dawn to dusk building enormous snow drifts for one of the world’s most endangered seals.
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Source. theguardian.com, 16.12.2024
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Blob-headed fish and amphibious mouse among 27 new species found in ‘thrilling’ Peru expedition
Scientists surprised to find so many animals unknown to science in Alto Mayo, a well-populated region. Researchers in the Alto Mayo region of north-west Peru have discovered 27 species that are new to science, including a rare amphibious mouse, a tree-climbing salamander and an unusual “blob-headed fish”. The 38-day survey recorded more than 2,000 species of wildlife and plants.
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Source. theguardian.com, 20.12.2024
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New York state resident finds complete mastodon jaw beneath lawn
Jaw found in Scotchtown, Orange county, is latest notable discovery from ice age-era animal in the region. Mastodons roamed the US north-east during the Pleistocene epoch, and there have been several notable mastodon discoveries in the region, including a complete 13,000-year-old skeleton in Hyde Park, New York, in 2000.
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Source. theguardian.com, 18.12.2024
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Our Martian heritage must be preserved, say leading scientists
Academics agree that by protecting robotic vehicles and landing sites we will help archaeologists of the future. Just as the outline of an iron-age hut or remains of a Roman sword cause excitement today, archaeologists of the future could be brushing Martian dust off metal and marvelling at one of Nasa’s rovers.
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Source. theguardian.com, 16.12.2024
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Galaxies, auroras and a cosmic bat: Southern Sky astrophotography exhibition 2024
The Southern Sky Astrophotography 2024 exhibition displays the top entries from the 20th David Malin awards for Australian astronomers and photographers. The images are on display at the Sydney observatory until 1 February.
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Source. theguardian.com, 14.12.2024
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Muddy footprints show early human species lived side by side
Scientists have always known that two relatives of today's humans existed on Earth at the same period of time - but whether the two different species of hominin ever met or interacted was unknown. Now a recent discovery proves not only did they meet - they co-existed and possibly even worked together in the same region for thousands of years.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 10.12.2024
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Exercising for 30 minutes improves memory, study suggests
Research shows walk or cycle improves cognitive performance for day ahead – and day after.
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Source. theguardian.com, 10.12.2024
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Whale graveyard shows mass stranding of species millions of years ago
Chilean site branded most diverse on planet for marine mammals after Pan-American highway roadworks discovery. A mass graveyard of fossilised whales unearthed in Chile was created by four separate strandings over a period of 10,000 years, scientists believe. Found in ancient sandstones beside the Pan-American Highway in the Atacama region of north Chile, where they are thought to have lain undetected for between 6m and 9m years.
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Source. theguardian.com, 26.02.2014
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Google DeepMind predicts weather more accurately than leading system
AI program GenCast performed better than ENS forecast at predicting day-to-day weather and paths of hurricanes and cyclones. For those who keep an eye on the elements, the outlook is bright: researchers have built an artificial intelligence-based weather forecast that makes faster and more accurate predictions than the best system available today.
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Source. theguardian.com, 04.12.2024
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The most dangerous delivery truck? How a lorry-load of antimatter will help solve secrets of universe
Fantastically expensive and hard to handle, the substance holds the key to a holy grail of science. Researchers are preparing to make one of science’s most unusual journeys. They are planning to transport a container of antimatter in a lorry across Europe. Antimatter is the most expensive material on Earth – it’s estimated it would cost several trillion dollars to make a gram – and it can only be manufactured in particle physics laboratories.
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Source. theguardian.com, 08.12.2024
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Scientists dissect ‘world’s rarest whale’ for clues on little-known species
Only seven spade-tooth whales have ever been documented, now work is beginning on a specimen that washed ashore in New Zealand in July. Spade-toothed whales are a type of beaked whale named for their teeth resembling the spade-like flensing blade once used to strip whales of their blubber. Just seven have been documented since the 1800s, with all but one found in New Zealand.
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Source. theguardian.com, 03.12.2024
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Atmospheric analysis shows Venus never had Earth-like life, scientists say
Research indicates planet’s interior is dry in blow to theories that it was previously habitable. With a surface hot enough to melt lead and with clouds of sulphuric acid above it, it is a planet often called Earth’s “evil twin” – similar in size, yet worlds apart. “This doesn’t completely rule out any life. It rules out Earth-like life,” said Tereza Constantinou, first author of the research from the University of Cambridge.
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Source. theguardian.com, 02.12.2024
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Footprints in Kenya ‘show distant relatives of modern humans coexisted’
Researchers say fossilised marks were apparently made in same place within days of each other about 1.5m years ago. A big-toothed cousin of prehistoric humans walked quickly along a lakeside in Kenya, footprints marking the muddy ground. But they were not our only distant relative on the scene: treading the same ground was the early human Homo erectus. The marks were made by two different species on the human family tree.
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Source. theguardian.com, 28.11.2024
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Nano-scale dinosaur made by Australian researchers from DNA building blocks
Australian researchers have created building blocks out of DNA to construct a series of nano-scale objects and shapes, from a rod and a square to an infinitesimally small dinosaur. As a proof-of-concept, the authors made more than 50 tiny shapes to test their precision and express their creativity. These included a dragon, a dinosaur, and a tiny map of Australia measuring only 150 nanometres wide. (A nanometre is one millionth of a millimetre.)
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Source. theguardian.com, 27.11.2024
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4,000-year-old canals used for fishing by Maya predecessors discovered in Belize
New research revealed canals used for about 1,000 years to channel and catch freshwater fish on the Yucatán peninsula. Long before the ancient Maya built temples, their predecessors were already altering the landscape of Central America’s Yucatán peninsula. Using drones and Google Earth imagery, archaeologists have discovered a 4,000-year-old network of earthen canals in what’s now Belize.
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Source. theguardian.com, 22.11.2024
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Earth’s ‘mini moon’ which may be chunk of actual moon set to disappear
School-bus-sized asteroid known as 2024 PT5 and currently 2m miles from Earth will begin journey towards sun. A so-called mini-moon of Earth that has been lingering since September will begin a journey towards the sun on Monday as it prepares to disappear until 2055. The school-bus-sized asteroid known as 2024 PT5 might actually be a huge boulder that broke from the moon after another space rock crashed into it centuries ago.
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Source. theguardian.com, 25.11.2024
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First close-up image of a star outside Milky Way shows supergiant in ‘cocoon’
Astrophysicists say material may suggest star is dying and ejection of matter signals coming supernova. A star cloaked in an egg-shaped cocoon has been revealed in the first detailed images of a star beyond the Milky Way. Until now, stars in other galaxies have been visible as little more than points of light, even when observed using telescopes. Astronomers have captured the first zoomed-in image.
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Source. theguardian.com, 21.11.2024
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The ‘mad egghead’ who built a mouse utopia
John Calhoun designed an apartment complex for mice to examine the effects of overcrowding. It was hailed as a groundbreaking study of social breakdown, but is largely forgotten. So what happened?
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Source. theguardian.com, 21.11.2024
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Science: Rethink of Uranus' moons, small spaces + food
Science correspondent Allan Blackman looks at a new analysis of Uranus and its five biggest moons that's found it might not be as sterile as first thought.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 20.11.2024
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Do we need nature to be healthy?
Looking at a landscape screensaver lowers blood pressure, listening to birdsong decreases stress, and smelling lavender reduces anxiety. It's common sense that interacting with the natural world makes us feel calmer, but what is actually happening in our bodies and minds?
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 16.11.2024
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Beaver supermoon around the world – in pictures
The beaver moon, the final supermoon of the year, has appeared in skies across much of the globe.
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Source. theguardian.com, 16.11.2024
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Gladiator knife handle found in Tyne ‘reflects spread of Roman celebrity culture’
Handle depicting secutor gladiator found on ‘edge of empire’ to go on display. A rare and pristine example of gladiator memorabilia found in the River Tyne is to go on display, shining light on a 2,000-year-old culture of celebrity. The copper alloy figurine would have been a decorative handle on a knife. Found near Corbridge, Northumberland, it provides proof superstar status of gladiators extended to the far edges of the Roman empire.
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Source. theguardian.com, 15.11.2024
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‘First instinct is to swim’: my trip on a zero-gravity flight with an Esa astronaut
The sensation of weightlessness is extraordinary as I join Rosemary Coogan for a breathtaking glimpse of life in space. It feels as if I’m hallucinating: as I lie on the floor, the ceiling suddenly sinks towards me and the walls begin to tilt at an impossible angle. It is my first experience of zero gravity on an European Space Agency (Esa) parabolic flight. In theory I know what is going on, but my brain just cannot grasp that it is actually me that is floating.
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Source. theguardian.com, 16.11.2024
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Pint-sized crustacean named after New Zealand brewery to boost interest in marine life
Tiny isopod is dubbed Pentaceration forkandbrewer in push to engage community with climate-threatened life in local waters. The roughly 1.5mm marine isopod was found in the silty depths off New Zealand’s southern east coast. It helps decompose organic material that drifts to the seabed.
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Source. theguardian.com, 14.11.2024
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Sea angels and devils: could plankton unlock the secrets of human biology?
Scientists use new technology to sequence the DNA of microscopic ocean creatures for the first time. Off the west coast of Greenland, a 17-metre (56ft) aluminium sailing boat creeps through a narrow, rocky fjord in the Arctic twilight. The research team onboard, still bleary-eyed from the rough nine-day passage across the Labrador Sea, lower nets to collect plankton. This is the first time anyone has sequenced the DNA of the tiny marine creatures that live here.
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Source. theguardian.com, 05.11.2024
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World’s first wooden satellite launched into space
LignoSat, developed in Japan and launched from Florida, expected to reduce space junk as it burns up on re-entry. The world’s first wooden satellite has been launched into space as part of study on using timber to help reduce the creation of space junk. Scientists at Kyoto University expect the wooden material to burn up when the device re-enters the atmosphere – potentially providing a way to avoid generating metal particles when a retired satellite returns to Earth. These particles may negatively affect the environment and telecommunications, the developers say.
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Source. theguardian.com, 05.11.2024
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Aotearoa has multiple clouds so unique they have names
Aotearoa is the land of the long white cloud - except we have multiple unique clouds, some with their own names. One is the Taieri Pet, a UFO-shaped cloud only seen above the Taieri Plains in Otago. The cloud has received worldwide attention after NASA shared a satellite image on X which showed "the elongated lenticular cloud."
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 04.11.2024
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Universe would die before monkey with keyboard writes Shakespeare, study finds
Australian mathematicians call into question the ‘infinite monkey theorem’ in new research on old adage. Mathematicians have called into question the old adage that a monkey typing randomly at a keyboard for long enough would eventually produce the complete works of Shakespeare.
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Source. theguardian.com, 01.11.2024
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Scientists discover oldest ever giant tadpole fossil in Argentina
Tadpole that wriggled around 160m years ago surpasses previous record holder by about 20m years. Imprinted in a slab of sandstone are parts of the tadpole’s skull and backbone, along with impressions of its eyes and nerves. “It’s not only the oldest tadpole known, but also the most exquisitely preserved,” said study author Mariana Chuliver, a biologist at Buenos Aires’s Maimonides University.
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Source. theguardian.com, 30.10.2024
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‘Five to ten seconds appears to be optimal’: the science behind hugs
As an airport limits goodbye cuddles to three minutes, here’s a guide to different embraces, and their positive effects.
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Source. theguardian.com, 26.10.2024
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Kama muta: the powerful emotion you didn’t know you had
Goosebumps, tears, a sense of solidarity… There’s a name for that feeling, and its manifestations – from Swifties handing out friendship bracelets to strong responses to political messaging – can bring good and ill.
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Source. theguardian.com, 26.10.2024
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Revealed: face of a Sudanese princess entombed in Egypt 2,500 years ago
New exhibition shows how Perth museum traced Ta-Kr-Hb mummy’s origin to Kingdom of Kush – modern day Sudan. An ancient Egyptian sarcophagus has been a prized object in Perth Museum since it was donated to the Scottish collection in 1936. Now the face of the woman mummified and buried inside it about 2,500 years ago has been brought to life in a dramatic digital reconstruction.
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Source. theguardian.com, 26.10.2024
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The Early Bird Got the Cicada, Then an Evolutionary Air War Started
Fossils reveal that prehistoric cicadas’ wings evolved to help them evade hungry predators with feathers and beaks, scientists say. Today, few critters are as abundant as cicadas. Thousands of different cicada species are found throughout the world, and some even periodically emerge by the trillions.
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Source. nytime.com, 25.10.2024
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Thrill of the chase: Meet the Kiwis chasing storms across the US
Steve Burrows remembers the day he was hit by a tornadic waterspout. It was 2014, and he and his friend had just tracked down a waterspout forming out from the Ashburton river mouth. The pair watched it from the safety of their car as it swirled and swirled - and then, it broke on the shoreline.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 26.10.2024
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Hong Kong unearths its first ever dinosaur fossils
Official hails discovery ‘of great significance’ on Port Island, with remains of as yet unknown species set to go on display in a shopping district on Friday.
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Source. theguardian.com, 24.10.2024
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Human brain can process certain sentences in ‘blink of an eye’, says study
Researchers say findings differ from previous theories that words are understood one by one. Whether it is news headlines or WhatsApp messages, modern humans are inundated with short pieces of text. Now researchers say they have unpicked how we get their gist in a single glance.
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Source. theguardian.com, 23.10.2024
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Long-extinct animals could be resurrected as robots to shed light on evolution
Researchers hope to recreate entire bodies of ancient creatures using paleo-inspired robotics. A robotic Tyrannosaurus rex might seem best placed in a Jurassic horror movie but researchers say machines based on extinct animals could help shed light on evolution.
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Source. theguardian.com, 23.10.2024
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People born without sense of smell breathe differently, study finds
People with working sense of smell sniff more than those with anosmia, with possible implications for health.
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Source. theguardian.com, 22.10.2024
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How the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs made ants into farmers – podcast
Madeleine Finlay hears from Ted Schultz, curator of ants at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, about his recent study into the origins of fungi farming in ants. He tells Madeleine about the incredibly complex way that ants cultivate and protect their fungi gardens, and how the asteroid that hit Earth 66 million years ago could have kickstarted it all.
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Source. theguardian.com, 23.10.2024
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Brazilian Fossil Hints at Older Origin for All Dinosaurs
The discovery may push back the emergence of the reptiles that once ruled the Earth, and clarify how dinosaurs like the Triceratops and Stegosaurus emerged.
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Source. nytimes.com, 21.10.2024
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How Nasa’s Artemis Accords are laying the ground for global space cooperation
Space’s agency has expanded its diplomatic reach in recent months, signing 12 of 45 signatories since January.
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Source. theguardian.com, 20.10.2024
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Capturing a comet: Sharp shooter snaps spaced-out pic
A West Auckland photographer managed to capture Comet C/2023 A3 as it soared over the skies this week. Comet C/2023 A3 is about 85 million kilometres away and only came along once in a human lifetime. It has not been seen in New Zealand skies for 80,000 years.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 19.10.2024
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World-leading Dunedin Study tracking people through life gets renewed funding
Two long-running Otago University birth cohort studies - which have produced more than 2000 reports over more than half a century - have had their own longevity assured with a government grant. The Dunedin Study, which has followed the lives of 1037 people since their births in Dunedin between 1 April 1972 and 31 March 1973, was considered the world's most detailed study of human health and development.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 21.10.2024
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A Distant Planet May Host a Moon That’s Spewing a Volcanic Cloud
Astronomers have yet to confirm the existence of exomoons, but a molecular signal around a far away star offers some of the best evidence yet.
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Source. nytimes.com, 15.10.2024
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How a ‘putrid’ find in a museum cupboard could be the key to bringing the Tasmanian tiger back to life
A well-preserved thylacine head was a gruesome sight – but it also contained RNA molecules crucial to reconstructing the extinct animal’s genome.
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Source. theguardian.com, 17.10.2024
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An astronomer's tips to spot rare comet over the next few nights
The best time to see the rare comet C/2023 A3 that hasn't been seen for in our skies for 80,000 years is over the next few nights, Stardome astronomer Josh Aoraki says.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 17.10.2024
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First section of Euclid space telescope’s map of the universe revealed
Mosaic of 208 gigapixels covers 1% of what will be the final 3D map, which is expected to capture billions of galaxies.
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Source. theguardian.com, 15.10.2024
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Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–Atlas) sightings around the world – in pictures
Named after the Chinese observatory and South African programme that detected it in 2023, the ‘comet of the century’ may have formed at a distance of up to 400,000 times that between Earth and the Sun. Its coma, or head, measures about 130,000 miles (209,000km) in diameter, with a tail extending 18m miles (29m km). The comet is not expected to return for another 80,000 years.
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Source. theguardian.com, 15.10.2024
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Human sense of smell is faster than previously thought, study suggests
Some participants were able to discriminate order of smells at intervals 10 times shorter than previously thought.
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Source. theguardian.com, 14.10.2024
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What Flying in a Wind Tunnel Reveals About Birds
Some birds migrate thousands of miles every autumn. How exactly do they manage it? Scientists built a flight chamber to find out.
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Source. nytimes.com, 11.10.2024
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Nasa’s Europa Clipper sets sail for Jupiter’s icy moon to study habitability
Craft lifts off aboard SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy with plans to peer under Europa’s crust where ocean may be near surface.
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Source. theguardian.com, 14.10.2024
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AI gives voice to dead animals in Cambridge exhibition
Creatures can converse and share their stories by voice or text through visitors’ mobile phones at Museum of Zoology.
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Source. theguardian.com, 14.10.2024
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SpaceX launches Starship rocket and catches booster in giant metal arms
Elon Musk’s huge rocket sets off on test flight before upper stage splashdown and explosion in Indian Ocean.
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Source. theguardian.com, 13.10.2024
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Northern lights: what causes them and where will I be able to see them?
Will there be a repeat of Thursday’s show on Friday night? And why all the different colours?
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Source. theguardian.com, 11.10.2024
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In pictures: Aurora australis makes spectacular return to New Zealand skies
The aurora australis has made a spectacular return to New Zealand skies, with people reporting displays of the Southern Lights from all parts of the country on Friday night.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 12.10.2024
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DNA study confirms Christopher Columbus’s remains are entombed in Seville
Scientists have ‘definitively’ proved identity of remains – with navigator’s precise origins to be revealed.
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Source. theguardian.com, 11.10.2024
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To boldly go: John McFall hopes to be the first astronaut with a disability
European Space Agency testing Paralympian sprinter to see how conditions in space would affect his prosthesis.
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Source. theguardian.com, 07.10.2024
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Machine learning pioneers win Nobel prize in physics
Geoffrey Hinton, ‘godfather of AI’, and John Hopfield honoured for work on artificial neural networks.
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Source. theguardian.com, 08.10.2024
Tiny parasitic wasp helps save one of world’s rarest birds from extinction
Wasps released on Nightingale Island have protected Wilkins’ bunting by halting spread of mould-causing insects.
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Source. theguardian.com, 08.10.2024
Comb jellies fuse together when injured, study finds
Research reveals ‘sea walnuts’ fuse together if they become injured, and nervous systems merge. It might not be what the Spice Girls envisaged when they sang 2 Become 1, but scientists have found comb jellies do actually fuse together if they are injured.
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Source. theguardian.com, 07.10.2024
Wanted: expedition botanist to follow in Darwin’s footsteps and look for plants
If you have a sense of adventure and know your squills from your spurges, Cambridge University Botanic Garden may have the job for you.
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Source. theguardian.com, 06.10.2024
Asteroid that eradicated dinosaurs not a one-off, say scientists
Scans of underwater crater in West Africa suggest another large asteroid smashed into the planet around the same time.
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Source. theguardian.com, 03.10.2024
Kiwi blackcurrant discovery shows promise for mood enhancement
Kiwi scientists say they've found a molecule in blackcurrants that inhibits an enzyme that breaks down chemicals like dopamine in the brain.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 04.10.2024
Tiny brain, big deal: fruit fly diagram could transform neuroscience
Scientists took years to map 50m connections, which may lead to understanding of how wiring gives rise to behaviour.
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Source. theguardian.com, 02.10.2024
Comet last seen in stone age to make closest approach to Earth
C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–Atlas) was discovered last year and is thought to orbit the sun every 80,000 years.
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Source. theguardian.com, 01.10.2024
Prehistoric Earth Was Very Hot. That Offers Clues About Future Earth.
At times during the past half-billion years, carbon dioxide warmed our planet more than previously thought, according to a new reconstruction of Earth’s deep past.
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Source. nytimes.com, 19.09.2024
A Fossilized Creature May Explain a Puzzling Painting on a Rock Wall
On a sandstone cliff in South Africa, a series of paintings recount a riveting battle. Spears fly as shield-wielding warriors charge. Animals, including an aardvark and scores of antelope, fringe the fracas.
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Source. nytimes.com, 18.09.2024
Earth will briefly have a second ‘mini moon’ this autumn
Earth’s gravitational pull will cause a trapped asteroid to orbit around planet for about two months.
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Source. theguardian.com, 19.09.2024
Pair of huge plasma jets spotted blasting out of gigantic black hole
Streams are the largest ever seen, measuring 23m light years and with combined power of trillions of suns.
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Source. theguardian.com, 18.09.2024
Lizards use nostril bubbles to breathe underwater and evade predators, researchers find
Water anoles jump into streams when threatened and produce a bubble that helps them stay underwater for up to 20 minutes.
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Source. theguardian.com, 18.09.2024
There Might Be More Than One Way to Make a Planet
Astronomers have found evidence of a process that supports an alternative, more rapid approach to planetary formation, more top down than bottom up.
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Source. theguardian.com, 17.09.2024
‘Entire ecosystem’ of fossils 8.7m years old found under Los Angeles high school
Researchers find two sites with fossils including saber-toothed salmon and megalodon, the huge prehistoric shark.
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Source. theguardian.com, 15.09.2024
Polaris Dawn astronauts complete first commercial spacewalk
Two astronauts have completed the first commercial spacewalk and tested slimmed-down spacesuits designed by SpaceX, in one of the boldest attempts yet to push the boundaries of privately funded spaceflight.
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Source. theguardian.com, 12.09.2024
Scientists find seismic role in formation of large gold nuggets
Forces unleashed by quakes squeeze quartz enough to generate electric fields, driving formation of deposits.
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Source. theguardian.com, 02.09.2024
Polaris Dawn mission blasts off with plans for first commercial spacewalk
Privately funded five-day mission by four astronauts led by US billionaire launches on SpaceX rocket from Florida.
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Source. theguardian.com, 10.09.2024
Experience: we discovered a rare T rex fossil
My hands were shaking. It was the first time a person had touched it and the first time it had been seen in 66 million years
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Source. theguardian.com, 06.09.2024
Why Do Apes Make Gestures?
Chimps and other apes have been observed making more than 80 meaningful gestures. Three theories have tried to explain why.
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Source. nytimes.com, 06.09.2024
Jupiter’s moon Ganymede was struck by asteroid bigger than dinosaur-killing rock
Impact may have caused largest moon in solar system to swing on its axis, say scientists.
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Source. theguardian.com, 03.09.2024
Scientists find seismic role in formation of large gold nuggets
Forces unleashed by quakes squeeze quartz enough to generate electric fields, driving formation of deposits.
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Source. theguardian.com, 02.09.2024
Dogs can remember names of toys years after not seeing them, study shows
Research into canine cognition suggests some pets store object names in long-term memory.
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Source. theguardian.com, 04.09.2024
Under a Frozen Army Base, He Found Incredible Fossils
In a new book, geologist Paul Bierman recounts the moment he found astonishing evidence that Greenland’s ice sheet had melted in the ancient past.
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Source. nytimes.com, 21.08.2024
How Did the First Cells Arise? With a Little Rain, Study Finds.
Researchers stumbled upon an ingredient that can stabilize droplets of genetic material: water.
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Source. nytimes.com, 21.08.2024
Ancient Tablets Foretold Doom Awaiting Babylonian Kings
A new translation of cuneiform relics from the second millennium B.C. highlights the warnings that astrologers saw in eclipses.
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Source. nytimes.com, 24.08.2024
These Fossils Are Found All Over, but What Made Them Was a Mystery
Scientists in Brazil identified marine worms that made at least some trace fossil burrows called Bifungites.
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Source. nytimes.com, 22.08.2024
Early Humans Left Africa Much Earlier Than Previously Thought
Scientists have found evidence of several waves of migration by looking at the genetic signatures of human interbreeding with Neanderthals.
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Source. nytimes.com, 11.07.2024
The Chimps Who Learned to Say ‘Mama’
Old recordings show captive chimps uttering the word, which some scientists believe may offer clues to the origins of human speech.
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Source. nytimes.com, 25.07.2024
How Did Roses Get Their Thorns?
The “prickles,” as botanists call them, evolved in roses and other plants thanks to a single gene, a new study found.
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Source. nytimes.com, 01.08.2024
Move Over, Robots: Sea Lions With Cameras Can Map the Ocean Floor
Daphne, Phoebe, Iris and Pasithea demonstrated how marine mammals can help scientists understand mysterious places that humans may never visit.
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Source. nytimes.com, 07.08.2024
Fish That School Together Save Energy, Study Finds
Like Olympic cyclists, fish expend less effort when swimming in tight groups than when alone. The finding could explain why some species evolved to move in schools.
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Source. nytimes.com, 01.08.2024
Unusual Origin Found for Asteroid That Killed the Dinosaurs
A study adds strong evidence to the hypothesis that the deadly rock came from a family of objects that originally formed well beyond the orbit of the planet Jupiter.
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Source. nytimes.com, 15.08.2024
Ancient Scribes Got Ergonomic Injuries, Too
The scriveners of ancient Egypt were more than papyrus pushers, but they suffered many of the same repetitive ailments as desk jockeys today, a new study suggests.
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Source. nytimes.com, 16.08.2024
Beware the Toxic and Explosive Blue Backpack This Termite Carries
Scientists studied the unusual chemical reaction used by a species of the insect in an act of self-sacrifice to save nests from invaders.
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Source. nytimes.com, 15.08.2024
For Stonehenge’s Altar Stone, an Improbably Long Ancient Journey
A six-ton megalith at the heart of the archaeological site traveled more than 450 miles to get there, a new study concludes.
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Source. nytimes.com, 14.08.2024
This Spider Uses a Light Show to Trick Eager Male Fireflies Into Its Web
In China, the arachnids seem to somehow manipulate the flashing of a caught male firefly to resemble a female’s come-hither signal.
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Source. nytimes.com, 19.08.2024
Fossils Show Giant Predatory Sea Scorpions Were Distance Swimmers
Specimens of what appear to be the largest eurypterid species found in Australia could shed light on the sudden extinction of the massive arthropods.
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Source. nytimes.com, 16.08.2024
Scientists Seeking Life on Mars Heard a Signal That Hinted at the Future
In 1924, a radio receiver built for the battlefields of World War I tested the idea that humans were not alone in the solar system, heralding a century of searches for extraterrestrial life.
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Source. nytimes.com, 20.08.2024
Strange and wondrous creatures: plankton and the origins of life on Earth
Without plankton, the modern ocean ecosystem – the very idea of the ocean as we understand it – would collapse. Earth would have no complex life of any kind.
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Source. theguardian.com, 20.08.2024
Technicolour skies glow across Australia and NZ as solar flares trigger aurora australis
Observations of spectacular southern lights phenomenon recorded from Tasmania and Melbourne to Western Australia.
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Source. theguardian.com, 31.07.2024
‘Dark oxygen’ in depths of Pacific Ocean could force rethink about origins of life
Charged metallic lumps found to produce oxygen in total darkness in process akin to how plants use photosynthesis.
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Source. theguardian.com, 22.07.2024
‘Million year old’ moa footprints discovered in Northland could be washed away in weeks
Moa footprints from “one million years ago” have been discovered in Northland, but are expected to be washed away within two weeks.
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Source. stuff.co.nz, 21.07.2024
The universe is built a lot like a giant brain – so is it conscious?
Research has found the universe is remarkably similar in structure to the human brain. But does this mean the cosmos has a consciousness of its own?
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Source. newscientist.com, 25.06.2024
Could this be New Zealand’s next dark sky reserve?
An increase in visitors hoping to catch the southern lights has resulted in a call for the Catlins to be made a dark sky reserve.
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Source. theguardian.com, 18.07.2024
Signs of two gases in clouds of Venus could indicate life, scientists say
Separate teams find evidence of phosphine and ammonia, potential biomarkers on planet whose surface reaches 450C.
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Source. theguardian.com, 17.07.2024
Underground cave found on moon could be ideal base for explorers
Researchers find evidence for cave accessible from surface – which could shelter humans from harsh lunar environment.
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Source. theguardian.com, 15.07.2024
MOTAT's hopes to capture school holiday crowds with new exhibit
Auckland's Museum of Transport and Technology is trying to make science, engineering and mathematics more fun for kids with a massive new facility.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 07.07.2024
Archaeological survey detects Roman villas and iron age farmsteads in Shropshire
National Trust ground-scanning technology maps new features close to site of Roman city of Wroxeter.
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Source. theguardian.com, 04.07.2024
Fangs and toilet seat-shaped head: giant salamander-like fossil found in Namibia
About 2.5 metres long, creature was an apex predator 280m years ago, before age of dinosaurs, say scientists.
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Source. theguardian.com, 03.07.2024
‘Once-in-a-lifetime event’: rare chance to see explosion on dwarf star 3,000 light years away
T Coronae Borealis, or the Blaze star, was last seen in 1946 and will be visible again some time between now and September.
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Source. theguardian.com, 04.07.2024
Oldest known picture story is a 51,000-year-old Indonesian cave painting
New dating technique finds painting on island of Sulawesi is 6,000 years older than previous record holder.
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Source. theguardian.com, 04.07.2024
Ants can carry out life-saving amputations on injured nest mates, study shows
Research on carpenter ants provides first example of a non-human animal severing limbs to curb infections.
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Source. theguardian.com, 02.07.2024
Rocket launch pads may operate from Kaitorete Spit near Christchurch
Kaitorete Spit is being considered as a site for multiple launch pads by a joint venture.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 03.07.2024
Rocket Lab offers 'heartbroken' students tour after Nasa trip abruptly cancelled
Rocket Lab is stepping in to fill the vacuum that more than a dozen students find themselves in after their space camp dreams came crashing down.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 17.06.2024
US astronomer Dr Michael Brown's search for Planet Nine
US astronomer Dr Michael Brown's theory of a ninth planet, lurking on the very edge of our Solar System, is gaining momentum.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 07.06.2024
‘The only limit is our imagination’: Tim Peake on what living in space taught him about life on Earth
Nine years after his first trip to outer space, Tim Peake is ready to blast off once again. He talks about preparing for the first all-British space mission – and setting his sights on Mars.
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Source. theguardian.com, 09.06.2024
‘We’re trying to find the shape of space’: scientists wonder if the universe is like a doughnut
Rather than stretching to infinity and beyond, the universe may have a topology that can eventually be mapped.
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Source. bbc.com, 08.06.2024
Earth-sized planet discovered by researchers
Scientists at the University of Warwick say they have been part of an international team to discover a new habitable Earth-sized planet.
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Source. bbc.com, 24.05.2024
Earliest-known galaxy, spotted by Webb telescope, is a beacon to cosmic dawn
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has spotted the earliest-known galaxy, one that is surprisingly bright and big considering it formed during the universe's infancy - at only 2 percent its current age.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 03.06.2024
Boeing launches NASA astronauts for the first time after years of delays
Boeing launched astronauts for the first time, belatedly joining SpaceX as a second taxi service for NASA.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 06.06.2024
Three boys left ‘completely speechless’ after finding T rex bone in North Dakota
Trio hit upon the bone, which was likely entombed about 67m years ago, in July 2022 on a stretch of land around Marmarth.
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Source. theguardian.com, 04.06.2024
In their prime: how trillions of cicadas pop up right on time – podcast
Right now, across much of the midwestern and eastern US, trillions of cicadas are crawling out from the soil.
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Source. theguardian.com, 21.05.2024
Detectorist unearths bronze age hoard after getting lost on treasure hunt
John Belgrave, 60, uncovered rare sword, axe head and bangle in Dorset after becoming separated from group.
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Source. theguardian.com, 30.05.2024
Babbling babies may be warming up for speech, say scientists
Squeals and growls tend to occur in groups, finds study of infants aged up to 13 months.
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Source. theguardian.com, 29.05.2024
$10m prize launched for team that can truly talk to the animals
AI expected to help researchers unlock two-way communication, say team that includes Tel Aviv University.
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Source. theguardian.com, 30.05.2024
Northern lights illuminate skies in US and Canada – in pictures
Rare sightings of aurora borealis in North America as atmospheric phenomenon fills overnight skies from California to Ontario.
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Source. theguardian.com, 11.05.2024
Earth-sized planet spotted orbiting small star with 100 times sun’s lifespan
Speculoos-3b, 55 light years away, is only second planetary system to be found around an ultra-cool red dwarf.
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Source. theguardian.com, 15.05.2024
Euclid telescope spies rogue planets floating free in Milky Way
Wandering worlds are seen deep inside Orion nebula, a giant cloud of dust and gas 1,500 light years away.
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Source. theguardian.com, 23.05.2024
Potentially habitable planet size of Earth discovered 40 light years away
Queensland- and Scotland-based PhD students co-lead team celebrating ‘Eureka moment’ spotting Gliese 12b.
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Source. theguardian.com, 24.05.2024
Rocket Lab puts first of two NASA polar satellites into space
Rocket Lab says it has successfully launched the first stage of a NASA climate change-focused mission from the North Island's East Coast.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 26.05.2024
Starwatch: red jewel of Antares meets silvery charm of the moon
Moon will be highly illuminated when it rises in a pas de deux with the brightest star in Scorpius.
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Source. theguardian.com, 20.05.2024
World’s only lungless frog species actually does have lungs after all
The rare Bornean flat-headed frog was thought to be the only frog with no lungs, but we now know it has very, very tiny ones.
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Source. newscientist.com, 20.05.2024
Why are there so many rogue planets and what do they look like?
Estimates suggest there are trillions of free-floating worlds in our galaxy alone. Most of them will be frozen planets like Pluto, but some might be warmer – and possibly even habitable.
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Source. newscientist.com, 20.05.2024
Earth’s Magnetic Field Nearly Collapsed 600 Million Years Ago. Then, Weird and Complex Life Evolved
A new study suggests more solar radiation reached Earth while the magnetic field weakened, leading to a rise in oxygen that drove an explosion of multicellular organisms during the Ediacaran Period.
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Source. smithsonianmag.com, 15.05.2024
Black holes observed colliding when universe was only 740m years old
Glimpse of galactic merger, via James Webb telescope, may explain presence of monster black holes.
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Source. theguardian.com, 16.05.2024
Fungal foray-ing and the search for new antibiotics
Could the answer to the global problem of antibiotic resistant bacteria be in our backyard? It’s a question being given serious time and consideration by Dr Siouxsie Wiles and Dr Bevan Weir, with help from fungi enthusiasts around Aotearoa.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 16.05.2024
Tenet
Professor Bill Williams, MacDiarmid Institute Principal Investigator and Professor in Biophysics and Soft Matter at Massey University talks us through the science of Tenet, the 2020 sci-fi film directed by Christopher Nolan.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 17.05.2024
Scientists map Lake Wānaka to better understand natural disaster risks
Lake Wānaka has been mapped in intricate detail by scientists to better understand the risk of earthquakes and tsunamis.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 16.05.2024
Solar storm exciting rather than scary, says physics expert
An expert helping prepare New Zealand for the impacts of solar storms says Earth is in the middle of a pretty seriously big geomagnetic storm right now, but he stresses it is not an extreme event.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 11.05.2024
Rare geomagnetic storm sparks power grid alerts around the world, stunning auroras in the sky
A rare geomagnetic storm caused by solar activity put power and communications systems around the world on alert on Saturday.
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Source. stuff.co.nz, 11.05.2024
Scientists find 57,000 cells and 150m neural connections in tiny sample of human brain
Harvard researchers teamed up with Google to analyse the makeup of the brain, much of which is not yet understood.
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Source. theguardian.com, 09.05.2024
Ferocious solar storm could give US rare view of northern lights
Large sunspot cluster has produced several moderate to strong solar flares since Wednesday morning, Noaa says.
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Source. theguardian.com, 10.05.2024
Video of sun’s surface shows solar rain, eruptions and coronal moss
Ethereal scenes of flowing super-heated material may help explain why atmosphere is hotter than surface.
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Source. theguardian.com, 03.05.2024
‘We live in a golden time of exploration’: astronomer Lisa Kaltenegger on the hunt for signs of extraterrestrial life
Austrian astronomer Lisa Kaltenegger has spent her life hunting for signs of life in the universe. Here she talks about aliens, space exploration and why studying cosmology is like eating pizza.
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Source. theguardian.com, 27.04.2024
Mysterious Roman dodecahedron to go on display in Lincoln
There are no known descriptions or drawings of object in Roman literature, making its purpose unclear.
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Source. theguardian.com, 29.04.2024
Astronauts could run round ‘Wall of Death’ to keep fit on moon, say scientists
Researchers suggest cylinder to prevent astronauts losing muscle mass in low gravity environment.
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Source. theguardian.com, 01.05.2024
Much of NZ 'dotted' with little-known volcanoes, scientist reveals
Most New Zealanders are familiar with our big volcanoes like Ruapehu and Taranaki - but there are lesser-known volcanoes "dotted" over much of the country, a scientist has revealed.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 27.04.2024
After an absence of 71 years, the green-tinged ‘Devil comet’ returns to Australian skies
While 12P/Pons-Brooks may not be as famous as Halley’s, its appearance close to Jupiter is causing great excitement for stargazers.
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Source. theguardian.com, 19.04.2024
Physicist Claudia de Rham: ‘Gravity connects everything, from a person to a planet’
The scientist on training as a diver, pilot and astronaut in order to understand the true nature of gravity, and what happens at the centre of a black hole.
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Source. theguardian.com, 21.04.2024
Huge, fearsome … and slender: rethink megalodon body shape, experts say
Researchers suggest image of prehistoric giant based on proportions of great white shark could be mistaken.
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Source. theguardian.com, 22.01.2024
Astronomers discover Milky Way’s biggest stellar black hole – 33 times mass of sun
BH3 spotted when scientists chanced upon star in Aquila constellation ‘wobbling’ under its gravitational force.
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Source. theguardian.com, 16.03.2024
Try something new to stop the days whizzing past, researchers suggest
Researchers find memorable images make time feel slower because we are trying to gather more information about them.
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Source. theguardian.com, 22.03.2024
Voyager 1 transmitting data again after Nasa remotely fixes 46-year-old probe
Engineers spent months working to repair link with Earth’s most distant spacecraft, says space agency.
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Source. theguardian.com, 23.03.2024
‘An enigma’: scientists finally learn what giant prehistoric shark looked like
Full and part skeletons found in Mexico reveal body shape and anatomy of Ptychodus as well as its likely diet.
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Source. theguardian.com, 27.03.2024
Rare traces of tooth decay and gum disease found in Bronze Age teeth
Keeping our teeth clean has been a pain for thousands of years, with some particularly painful methods historically used to take care of our chompers.
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Source. popsci.com, 27.03.2024
Kiwi students off to NASA to work on hunt for alien life
The top brass of NASA have visited Parliament to celebrate five New Zealand students being awarded scholarships to intern at the prestigious space agency.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 15.03.2024
Watch: Nasa, Rocket Lab launch solar sail from Hawke's Bay
Nasa has launched its new solar sail mission from the Māhia Peninsula in Hawke's Bay. Once at a Sun-synchronous orbit, about 1000 km above Earth, the spacecraft will deploy its sails and use the pressure of sunlight for propulsion, instead of rocket fuel.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 24.04.2024
Fossil of ‘largest snake to have ever existed’ found in western India
Fossil vertebrae unearthed in a mine in western India are the remains of one of the largest snakes that ever lived, a monster estimated at up to 15 metres in length – longer than a T rex.
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Source. theguardian.com, 18.04.2024
Fossils found in Somerset by girl, 11, ‘may be of largest-ever marine reptile’
Experts believe remains belong to a type of ichthyosaur that roamed the seas about 202m years ago.
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Source. theguardian.com, 17.04.2024
Astronomers discover Milky Way’s biggest stellar black hole – 33 times mass of sun
BH3 spotted when scientists chanced upon star in Aquila constellation ‘wobbling’ under its gravitational force.
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Source. theguardian.com, 16.04.2024
Plantwatch: why does a rainforest vine turn into a part-time carnivore?
Scientists have finally discovered why this remarkable plant becomes hungry for bugs
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Source. theguardian.com, 17.04.2024
Bumblebee species able to survive underwater for up to a week
Bumblebees might be at home in town and country but now researchers have found at least one species that is even more adaptable: it can survive underwater.
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Source. theguardian.com, 17.04.2024
Rare lunar event to shed light on Stonehenge’s links to the moon
The rising and setting of the sun at Stonehenge, especially during the summer and winter solstices, continues to evoke joy, fascination and religious devotion.
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Source. theguardian.com, 15.04.2024
Total solar eclipse: A 4-minute window into the universe's secrets
Eclipse fever is building. Millions in North America are hoping to spend around four minutes in total darkness as the Moon blocks the Sun's light on Monday (Tuesday NZ time).
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 07.04.2024
Total solar eclipse to sweep across Mexico, the US and Canada
The moon will pass directly in front of the sun, exposing ghostly traces of the sun’s atmosphere.
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Source. theguardian.com, 01.04.2024
UK genetics project looks for lost apple varieties to protect fruit in climate crisis
Heritage orchard at RHS Rosemoor to be sampled this spring as part of search for previously unrecorded ‘survivor’ cultivars.
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Source. theguardian.com, 23.03.2024
Two nights of broken sleep can make people feel years older, finds study
Beyond simply feeling decrepit, perception of being older can affect health by encouraging unhealthy eating and reducing exercise.
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Source. theguardian.com, 27.03.2024
Dogs can understand the meaning of nouns, new research finds
Study confirms our canine companions can grasp more than simple commands – or at least for items they care about.
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Source. theguardian.com, 22.03.2024
New gadgets for Marlborough’s Omaka Observatory
As the early autumn evenings start to draw in, staff at the Omaka Observatory are hoping the longer nights will draw Marlborough’s stargazers out.
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Source. stuff.co.nz, 25.03.2024
Searchers may have found New Zealand’s 10th meteorite
Searchers in the Mackenzie Country believe they may have found New Zealand's 10th meteorite.
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Source. stuff.co.nz, 21.03.2024
New Zealand could be billions of years older than first thought, geologists say
Kiwi geologists have discovered New Zealand could be billions of years older than previously thought.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 17.03.2024
Science: Ladybug's chemical warfare, handwriting brain boost
Science commentator Allan Blackman looks at how the mealybug ladybird uses carminic acid to scare off an attack from ants, and the new research that's found it "steals" it from an invasive bug that came to Spain via the Americas. How did it adopt this defence? A new study backs up the theory that handwriting is beneficial for absorbing information and why is adapting to daylight savings so hard? Allan Blackman is a Professor of Chemistry, School of Science, Auckland University of Technology.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 19.03.2024
What’s found on Earth, Mars and Satan’s biggest moon Titan?
Scientists unearth mysteries of giant, moving Moroccan star dune
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Source. The Guardian, 04.03.2024
What fish makes a sound as loud as a gunshot?
Scientists discover how Danionella cerebrum, measuring width of adult human fingernail, can create noises exceeding 140 decibels
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Source. The Guardian, 27.02.2024
Watching the weather in the far southern seas
As part of their expedition to South Georgia, the young New Zealanders continued Antarctic explorers’ tradition of meticulous data collection, by recording rare weather observations from this remote destination.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 22.02.2024
Deep sea exploration: what’s it like to take a trip on a submersible?
Submersibles allow us to witness the wonders of the depths of our planet like nothing else. But after the OceanGate disaster, how safe are they? Cal Flyn goes aboard…
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Source. The Guardian, 10.03.2024
Colorado could bring back wolverines in an unprecedented rewilding effort
Move would be the first return of the animal in North America and is part of ongoing effort to restore native species
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Source. The Guardian, 09.03.2024
Patagonia cave paintings are earliest found in South America
Move would be the first return of the animal in North America and is part of ongoing effort to restore native species
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Source. reuters.com, 08.03.2024
Stone tools in Ukraine offer oldest evidence of humans in Europe
A dating method based on cosmic rays has identified stone tools found in western Ukraine as the oldest-known evidence of human occupation in Europe - 1.4 million years ago
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Source. reuters.com, 07.03.2024
People with tails? No, because of this ancient genetic mutation
Director James Cameron's "Avatar" movies are populated by a species of outsized blue beings resembling humans, except with tails.
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Source. reuters.com, 29.02.2024
Pest-free tomatoes: could the dream finally be coming true?
Anthony and Angela Tringham, who grow heirloom tomatoes commercially under the brand Curious Croppers, have two main greenhouses in Clevedon, Auckland where they produce their fruit.
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Source. stuff.co.nz, 06.03.2024
Darwin’s plant specimens stored for 200 years to go on public display
Specimens collected on Voyage of the Beagle have been unearthed at Cambridge University archive
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Source. theguardian.com, 15.03.2024
I discovered a cavefish that we named ‘big sickness’ – for good reason
Unexplored caves can be scary, home to crocodiles, huge eels or tarantulas, but we can also find incredible new life in there
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Source. theguardian.com, 21.12.2023
Let forests grow old to store huge volume of carbon – study
Report says cutting emissions should still be key priority as it cautions against mass monoculture tree-planting
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Source. theguardian.com, 13.11.2023
Should forests have rights? – podcast
A growing movement of ecologists, lawyers and artists is arguing that nature should have legal rights.
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Source. theguardian.com, 19.03.2024
Astronomers detect ‘waterworld with a boiling ocean’ in deep space
Significant discovery, made by James Webb telescope, provokes disagreement over conditions on planet’s surface
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Source. The Guardian, 08.03.2024
Huge, bitey, freakishly ugly: is this the world’s nastiest prehistoric reptile?
Khinjaria acuta was bigger than a great white shark, with blade-like teeth and awesome jaws. Just as well it died out 67m years ago
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Source. The Guardian, 06.03.2024
‘I can speak to millions. There’s a power to that’: naturalist Steve Backshall
The infectious enthusiasm of the host of the wildly popular children’s television show Deadly 60 has educated a generation.
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Source. The Guardian, 17.09.2023
Earliest-known 'dead' galaxy spotted by Webb telescope
The James Webb Space Telescope since becoming operational in 2022 has uncovered numerous surprises about what things were like in the universe's early stages. We now can add one more - observations of a galaxy that was already "dead" when the universe was only 5% of its current age.
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Source. reuters.com, 07.03.2024
Hey, chocolate lovers: new study traces complex origins of cacao
Scientists are getting a better taste of the early history of the domestication and use of cacao - the source of chocolate - thanks to residues detected on a batch of ancient ceramics from South and Central America.
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Source. reuters.com, 08.03.2024
Archaeologists in Egypt unearth section of large Ramses II statue
Scientists are getting a better taste of the early history of the domestication and use of cacao - the source of chocolate - thanks to residues detected on a batch of ancient ceramics from South and Central America.
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Source. reuters.com, 05.03.2024
Hunting for New Zealand's 10th meteorite
The hunt is on for New Zealand's 10th meteorite - and it could be sitting on your back doorstep.ca.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 11.03.2024
Kittens and blue cod could have more in common than you think
A kitten chasing a laser is one of life’s simple pleasures, but scientists have found another creature that likes to have the same kind of fun.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 15.03.2024
I discovered a tiny frog that lives its whole life inside one plant
Everyone told me there is no water on top of this Brazilian mountain, there won’t be any frogs. Now I’ve dedicated my life to preserving this incredible species
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Source. theguardian.com, 25.01.2024
I discovered a tiny 700-year-old forest within sight of North America’s busiest highway
I realised other ancient trees could have survived, right under our noses. In France, they discovered one tree that had started growing before the Romans left
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Source. theguardian.com, 14.12.2023
Is going to bed at 9pm the secret to happiness? My week of sleeping like a gen Zer
Young people are increasingly heading to bed early and getting almost 10 hours of sleep. But how do they nod off – and are they missing out on anything?
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Source. theguardian.com, 21.2.2023
Goalkeepers perceive the world differently, study suggests
Goalies’ brains appear able to merge signals from different senses more quickly, say researchers.
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Source. theguardian.com, 09.10.2023
Watch live: Millions across North America await total solar eclipse
The first total solar eclipse to grace North America in seven years made landfall in Mexico on Tuesday (NZT) as millions of skywatchers gazed upward for the start of a celestial display at least partially visible, weather permitting.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 09.04.2024
Keep winning at tennis? You may see more images each second, scientists say
Elite athletes and professional gamers may have higher than average visual temporal resolution, research suggests.
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Source. theguardian.com, 01.04.2024
Moon Standard Time? Nasa to create lunar-centric time reference system
Space agency tasked with establishing Coordinated Lunar Time, partly to aid missions requiring extreme precision.
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Source. theguardian.com, 03.04.2024
AI to track hedgehog populations in pioneering UK project
National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme aims to understand why population has declined
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Source. theguardian.com, 25.03.2024
Scientists name newly discovered ancient amphibian species after Kermit the Frog
Kermitops gratus are thought to be among first true amphibians and a key step in transition of life from water to land.
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Source. theguardian.com, 21.03.2024
‘Truth behind the myths’: Amazon warrior women of Greek legend may really have existed
Excavations of bronze age graves have found battle-scarred female archers, says the historian Bettany Hughes
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Source. theguardian.com, 24.03.2024
Scientists find skull of enormous ancient dolphin in Amazon
Fossil of giant river dolphin found in Peru, whose closest living relation is in South Asia, gives clues to future extinction threats
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Source. theguardian.com, 21.03.2024
"Fizziology is phun"
Ever wondered why the heart is associated with love, how it beats relentlessly without thought of mind, or why your physical fitness changes your resting heart rate? Understanding how the body works is "physiology" and Julian Paton is a passionate physiologist who insists "Fizziology is phun".
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 19.03.2024
Shower Thoughts: Who owns outer space?
Space law expert Dr Maria Pozza told Nights it was one of the most asked questions she received, and she was sure other space lawyers around the world would frequently encounter the question, too.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 19.03.2024