Years

Our Extinct Cousins Reached ‘The Roof of The World’ a Long Time Before Homo Sapiens

by

If it wasn’t for an extinct relative of modern humans known as the Denisovans, some researchers suspect our own species might never have made their home on the highest and largest plateau in the world.   The Tibetan Plateau, sometimes called the Himalayan Plateau, is nicknamed ‘the roof of the world’ because it sits, on … Read more

Tropical forests: Some abandoned farmland reverts to forest within 20 years

by

In the tropics, trees are cleared to make way for farmland that is abandoned once the soil is no longer productive – but these sites can become forest again surprisingly quickly Environment 9 December 2021 By Chen Ly Pasture and young secondary forest in Anhembi, Brazil Rens Brouwer Tropical forests can re-establish themselves quickly on … Read more

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

by

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

Are Our Diets Contributing to The Rise in Angry Rhetoric?

by

Emotional, non-rational, even explosive remarks in public discourse have escalated in recent years. Politicians endure insults during legislative discussions; scientists receive emails and tweets containing verbal abuse and threats.   What’s going on? This escalation in angry rhetoric is sometimes attributed to social media. But are there other influences altering communication styles? As researchers in … Read more

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

by

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

Our Sun May Have Been Born With a Trouble-Making Twin Called ‘Nemesis’

by

A recent model on how stars are formed adds weight to the hypothesis that most – if not all – stars are born in a litter with at least one sibling. Our own star at the center of the Solar System is probably no exception, and some astronomers suspect that the Sun’s estranged twin might … Read more