Shows

Language evolution: Vai script shows how letters get simpler over time

by

The characters used to write the Vai script, which was invented in Liberia in 1833, have become visually simpler over time, reflecting the evolutionary pressures acting on writing Humans 11 January 2022 By Colin Barras A character representing the syllable “bi” in Vai script Kelly et al The symbols we use to write words evolve … Read more

Startling Video From Yellowstone Shows Freeloading Grizzly Steal Prey From Wolves

by

A video by the team at Yellowstone national park shows the extraordinary sight of a grizzly bear hunting alongside a pack of wolves, only to make off with their prey.  The footage, posted to the National Parks Service Facebook page in December, shows the multi-species pack hunting a large herd of elks. A few wolves break away … Read more

Gorgeous HD Footage Shows Humanity’s Final View of The James Webb Space Telescope

by

We can all breathe a bit easier now. In spite of a launch bedeviled by problem after problem, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is finally in space, making its way to its new home.   And if you needed a little reassurance that this is the case (which is totally understandable), the European Space Agency … Read more

Electrifying image shows starfish spawning

by

By Gege Li Tony Wu/naturepl.com Photographer Tony Wu Agency blog/Naturepl.com THE starfish in this image looks suitably electrifying, but the lightning-like currents emanating from this male Leach’s sea star are actually streams of sperm. The shot was taken in Kagoshima prefecture in Japan by nature photographer Tony Wu. Starfish sexually reproduce by a process called … Read more

Endometriosis Drug Shows Promise in Preliminary Phase 3 Trial Results

by

A new drug with the potential to treat endometriosis-associated pain with very few side effects is getting closer to official approval. Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition and the leading cause of pelvic pain worldwide. With no known cause or cure, many patients have run out of options and are living with chronic and unrelenting symptoms.   … Read more

Origins of Drug-Resistant Superbug Weren’t What We Thought, Surprise Discovery Shows

by

An evolutionary battle between fungi and bacteria on hedgehogs’ skin gave rise to a type of antibiotic-resistant bacteria long before humans started using the antibiotics that were thought to lead to such superbugs, a new study reveals.   Researchers traced some lineages of the superbug MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, to a parasitic fungus found … Read more

Stellar Video Shows Comet Leonard as It Zips by Earth For The 1st Time in 80,000 Years

by

Since early this year, skywatchers on Earth have been tracking Comet Leonard, a kilometer-wide dirty snowball made of ice, rock, and dust. Now, as it heads towards a close encounter with the Sun on 3 January 2022, several spacecraft – with the distinct advantage of having an unobstructed front-row seat to the action – have … Read more

Convalescent plasma shows renewed promise for COVID-19 in outpatient trial | Science

by

Among the possible treatments for people just developing COVID-19 symptoms, antibody-rich plasma donated by recovered patients has taken a backseat to options such as monoclonal antibodies and antiviral pills. But a new clinical trial suggests it may deserve a bigger role. The trial results, posted today as a preprint, showed a transfusion of convalescent plasma … Read more

Spectacularly Rare, Enormous Eagle Shows Up in North America, 5,000 Miles From Home

by

Bird watchers in Massachusetts have been given an early Christmas present in the form of an incredibly rare sighting – a Steller’s sea eagle, which is native to Asia almost 8,000 km (5,000 miles) away.   The large sea eagles are native to the Kamchatka Peninsula in far eastern Russia, and also seen in Japan, … Read more