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Why Invasive Plants Pushing Out Native Flora Is Pushing Us Closer to a ‘New Pangaea’

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According to the first global analysis of plant diversity, the world’s flora is growing increasingly uniform, even on isolated islands like Australia. For decades now, scientists have been warning the world we are headed for a new geological epoch, called the ‘Homogecene’, when unique life forms become overshadowed by more adaptable species that can live … Read more

First-Ever ‘True’ Millipede With 1,306 Legs Discovered Deep Underground in Australia

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Although the name millipede comes from Latin for “thousand feet”, before now no species has been found with more than 750 legs. After the discovery of a new millipede with 1,306 legs however, this arthropod is finally living up to its name.   The new species is Eumillipes persephone – emillipes translating as “true-thousand-foot”, with … Read more

Scorching Siberian Heatwave Confirmed as Hottest Arctic Temperature Ever Recorded

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The UN on Tuesday officially recognized the 38 degrees Celsius measured in Siberia last year as a new record high for the Arctic, sounding “alarm bells” over climate change. The sweltering heat – equivalent to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit– was seen on June 20, 2020 in the Russian town of Verkhoyansk, marking the highest temperature ever … Read more

We May Finally Know The Cause of ‘The Cow’, a Freakishly Exciting Space Explosion

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The cause of a mysterious cosmic kaboom – so bright it led to the classification of a new type of space explosion – may have now been revealed. According to an analysis of the 2018 event, nicknamed “the Cow” (AT2018cow), it was likely an unusual kind of core-collapse supernova that led to the formation of … Read more

Nearly 300 Years Ago, a Tsunami Hit The Coast of Chile, But Nobody Found It Until Now

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The south-central coast of Chile could be more vulnerable to tsunamis than the historical record suggests. Geological research among the tidal marshes of Chaihuín has now revealed the fallout of a long, high wall of water that struck land in 1737. Written documents from the time, however, describe no such wave.   “There are records … Read more

An mRNA Flu Vaccine Just Delivered Positive Phase 1 Trial Results

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US biotech company Moderna on Friday announced promising data from an early-stage human trial of its mRNA flu shot, based on the same technology used in its successful COVID-19 vaccine.   The experimental flu shot was found to be safe, and successfully evoked high levels of antibodies in 180 people at all dosage levels, in … Read more

5 Things to Know About The James Webb Space Telescope Before It Launches

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The James Webb Space Telescope, the most powerful space observatory ever built, is finally set for launch in late December after decades of waiting. An engineering marvel, it will help answer fundamental questions about the Universe, peering back in time 13 billion years. Here are five things to know.   1. Giant gold mirror The telescope’s … Read more

Researchers Find Evidence That Fracking Can Trigger an All-New Type of Earthquake

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Oil and gas extraction can trigger small, slow-moving, longer-lasting earthquake tremors, which scientists have documented in Canadian fracking fields for the first time. A team of researchers from the Geological Survey of Canada documented a new type of earthquake event resulting from slow ruptures near an active gas well. This helps to explain how near-imperceptible … Read more

Cataract Surgery Linked to Lower Risk of Developing Dementia, Even 10 Years Later

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Cataract surgery is often undertaken to reverse the natural decline in vision as we get older. Now, a new association study underscores the wider benefits such a procedure can have on one’s health – especially when it comes to reducing dementia risk.   Cataracts are cloudy areas that develop in the lens of the eye … Read more