Officials Confirm Several Geomagnetic Storms Are Hitting Earth This Week

The Sun is continuing its rowdy behavior, with flares and coronal mass ejections almost every day since mid-January. That means the inevitable has happened: some of those eruptions have blasted in the general direction of Earth, which means we’re in for some solar storms.   The Space Weather Prediction Center of the US National Oceanic … Read more

Neuroscientists Find Two Types of Brain Cells That Help Us Make Memories

Researchers have discovered two types of human brain cells that physically help us form memories. These cells play a significant role in dividing continuous conscious experience into distinct segments that can be recalled in the future.    As we move from the past, through the present, and into the future, we form autobiographical memories – … Read more

This Mind-Bogglingly Gigantic Sunspot Is Roughly The Size of Our Entire Planet

A new telescope taking on the task of staring at the Sun has delivered incredible new images of solar activity. The US National Science Foundation’s Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope commenced science operations for the first time on Wednesday 23 February 2022. It’s the largest solar telescope in the world, and its high-resolution observations of … Read more

Nostalgia Evokes Many Things. Even Pain Relief, Scientists Show

The longing and wistfulness of nostalgia can make a person feel many different things. Amidst the memories, both happy and sad, you might even find a unique form of pain relief.   The observation is not new. Beyond boosting wellbeing and improving physical comfort, nostalgia has previously been shown to lessen perceptions of pain. Yet … Read more

Here’s The Impact That Walkable Neighborhoods Can Have on Your Physical Health

How we plan neighborhoods can shape the health of entire communities. When more than half the world now lives in urban areas, it’s more important than ever to design streets and parks conducive to walking, running, and cycling.   A review of large, population-based studies describes numerous ways walkable, activity-friendly cities are linked to improved … Read more

Neuroscientists Find Part of The Brain That Responds Specifically to Singing

The capacity to engage with and comprehend music spans nearly every human society. While other creatures also display musical behaviors (think bird song, humpback whale calls, or bonobo vocalizations), our musical cognition appears to be evolutionary distinct within the animal kingdom.    A new study has given us more insight into the brain’s relationship with music, finding that … Read more

Diabetes and obesity: Pedestrian-friendly cities have lower rates

A review of 170 studies finds consistent evidence that people are less likely to be obese or have diabetes if they live in cities where walking and cycling is safe and convenient Health 24 February 2022 By Matthew Sparkes Pedestrians in Montpellier, France Manfred Gottschalk/Getty Images Diabetes and obesity rates can be reduced by transforming … Read more

Military activity in Russia spotted in satellite photos as tensions rise in Ukraine

Helicopters in Belgorod in Russia, as seen on Feb. 13, 2022. (Image credit: Satellite image ©2022 Maxar Technologies) Satellites can see military activity in Russia from space.  Russia’s military activity continues to spark international concern and conversation. Russia has now sent military troops into Ukraine for “peacekeeping” operations, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Monday … Read more