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Brutal Viking Ritual Called ‘Blood Eagle’ Was Anatomically Possible, Study Shows

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Famed for their swift longboats and bloody incursions, Vikings have long been associated with brutal, over-the-top violence. Between the eighth and 11th centuries, these groups left their Nordic homelands to make their fortunes by trading and raiding across Europe.   Particularly infamous is the so-called “blood eagle”, a gory ritual these warriors are said to … Read more

Mutant Bacteria Accidentally Recreated One of Van Gogh’s Most Iconic Paintings

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The line between art and science is sometimes a swirly one. Researchers studying a social bacterium that moves and feeds in coordinated swarms have unintentionally recreated something that looks a lot like a familiar masterpiece.   When a certain gene is overexpressed in a bacterium known as Myxococcus xanthus, the individual organisms self-organize into tiny circular … Read more