Greek Mummy Found in Lead Coffin
Posted on September 20, 2022
| 3 minutes
| 539 words
| Patria Henriques
A mummy of a middle-aged woman dating to Ancient Greek times has been discovered in a lead coffin inside a marble sarcophagus, the first clear indication of embalming in Greece from the era when the Romans ruled there.
A research team co-led by Frank Rühli of the University of Zurich was able to show that various resins, oils and spices were used to embalm the body, dating to A.D. 300. Along with the skeleton, the methods partially preserved some soft tissues from the body, most of which are now brittle, thin and extremely desiccated, including eyebrows, a muscle in the hand, hair and blood cells.
[Read More]Hang Glider Aims to Break Long-Distance Flight Record
Posted on September 20, 2022
| 5 minutes
| 942 words
| Patria Henriques
A daring hang glider known for his extreme stunts and record-setting flights will soon attempt to set another record for the longest open-distance flight.
On or soon after Monday (June 20), Jonny Durand will attempt to glide from Zapata, in southern Texas, to Lorenzo, in northern Texas, a distance of about 475 miles (764 kilometers). Aiding him on his journey — on (or around) the summer solstice, the longest day of the year — are what may be ideal atmospheric conditions for long-distance hang gliding on Earth.
[Read More]How did ‘Prehistoric Planet’ create such incredible dinosaurs? Find out in a behind-the-scenes peek.
Posted on September 20, 2022
| 5 minutes
| 890 words
| Fernande Dalal
"Prehistoric Planet" sends viewers back in time on a guided tour of the Cretaceous period with Sir David Attenborough, in a documentary series that reimagines familiar dinosaurs such as the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex and introduces lesser-known creatures like the charming owl-like Mononykus.
The show portrays the extinct creatures moving and behaving with a level of realism that has never been seen before in movies or television. And if you draw back the curtain and peer backstage, you'll find the work that went on behind the scenes of the groundbreaking series is almost as impressive as the dinosaurs themselves, from perilous treks in the desert to Sherlock Holmes-like deductions of dinosaur anatomy and behavior.
[Read More]Hypnosis May Be Altered State Of Consciousness
Posted on September 20, 2022
| 4 minutes
| 704 words
| Fernande Dalal
The true nature of hypnosis has eluded scientists. It's clear people can be hypnotized, but it's not clear how this happens. New research offers a clue.
By recording the eye movements of a hypnotized woman, and comparing them with those of nonhypnotized people, researchers say they have found evidence that hypnosis involves a special mental state, fundamentally different from normal consciousness.
First some basics: When under hypnosis, a person becomes more capable of hallucination and susceptible to suggestions, perhaps intended to help him or her stop craving cigarettes, say, or prompt him or her to hear music that isn't actually playing.
[Read More]Insect Outbreaks Kill Forests and Release Carbon
Posted on September 20, 2022
| 4 minutes
| 805 words
| Mittie Cheatwood
This Behind the Scenes article was provided to LiveScience in partnership with the National Science Foundation.
Insects are essential to a healthy forest environment, but bad bugs are bad news for forests. Throughout North America and the world, forests are experiencing some of the worst outbreaks of insects and diseases in recorded history.
As for the forests' future, researcher Jeffrey Hicke quips: "I'd rather be a beetle than a tree."
[Read More]Liftoff! NASA's Perseverance rover is headed to Mars
Posted on September 20, 2022
| 4 minutes
| 813 words
| Trudie Dory
NASA's Mars Perseverance rover left Earth's atmosphere and began the long journey to Mars this morning under clear skies.
The launch went off successfully at 7:50 a.m. EDT (4:50 a.m. PDT), when the rover rode skyward atop Atlas V-541 rocket from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Perseverance will now be in transit until Feb. 18, 2021, when it will land at Jezero crater and begin analyzing Martian geology and climatology.
[Read More]Low Testosterone Is in the Genes
Posted on September 20, 2022
| 2 minutes
| 350 words
| Arica Deslauriers
A man's risk of low testosterone is influenced by his genes, a new study says.
The study, which examined the genomes of more than 14,00 men, found changes within a single gene that were associated with low levels of testosterone in the blood.
The researchers call these changes "risk markers." Men with three or more of these risk markers were 6.5 times more likely to have low testosterone compared with men with no risk markers.
[Read More]Powerful 7.4 earthquake rocks southern Mexico, killing 1
Posted on September 20, 2022
| 2 minutes
| 379 words
| Mittie Cheatwood
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the southern coast of Mexico at 10:29 local time this morning, causing buildings to sway hundreds of miles away in Mexico City and resulting in at least one death, NBC news reported.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the quake was centered near the southern coast of the Mexican state of Oaxaca, and was felt by an estimated 2 million people. Roughly 200 miles (320 kilometers) away in Mexico City, people fled into the street as buildings swayed, alarms blared and pavement stones moved visibly underfoot.
[Read More]Rattlesnake Sliders & Goat Penis: Photos of Exotic Food
Posted on September 20, 2022
| 1 minutes
| 191 words
| Patria Henriques
Explorers Club GalaGuests at the annual Explorers Club dinner, held March 16 at New York's Waldorf Astoria hotel, excitedly surveyed the exotic appetizers on offer.
Worm & Cricket CanapesCanapes topped with worms and crickets were just some of the strange offerings at the exotic appetizers hour.
Goat PenisAmong the delicacies was a dish featuring goat penis - perhaps a delicacy somewhere?
Muskrat, Beaver & GoatThe Explorers Club carving station featured meats such as muskrat, beaver and goat - oh my!
[Read More]Wartime submarine 'HMS Urge' identified, quashing conspiracy theories of sub's secret mission
Posted on September 20, 2022
| 5 minutes
| 926 words
| Fernande Dalal
Divers have confirmed the identity of the wreck of a British submarine that was sunk by a German mine near Malta in 1942, putting an end to controversial claims that the sub was sunk by Italian warplanes during a secret mission off the coast of Libya.
University of Malta maritime archaeologist Timmy Gambin said a team of six researchers made two dives to the wreck at the end of April and established it was the HMS Urge by the name embossed on its conning tower.
[Read More]