Long-Sealed Moon Rocks Collected on the Apollo Mission Just Opened for the First Time
Posted on June 9, 2023
| 4 minutes
| 686 words
| Fernande Dalal
A section of rock collected from the moon 47 years ago has been opened for the first time on Earth.
The sample was opened Nov. 5 at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. The tube-shaped cylinder of rock and moon dust (or regolith) is 2 feet (61 centimeters) long and 1.5 inches (4 cm) in diameter.
The new sample analysis is in service of the Artemis program, a new push by NASA and other space agencies that aims to put a man and woman back on the moon by 2024.
[Read More]Now-Extinct Relative Had Sex with Humans Far and Wide
Posted on June 9, 2023
| 5 minutes
| 1008 words
| Mittie Cheatwood
A mysterious extinct branch of the human family tree that once interbred with ours apparently lived in a vast range from Siberia to Southeast Asia, mating with just as widely spread a group of modern humans, scientists find.
This new research also demonstrates that contrary to the findings of the largest previous genetic studies, modern humans apparently settled Asia in multiple waves of migration, investigators added.
These lost relatives, known as the Denisovans, were discovered from at least 30,000-year-old bones and teeth unearthed in the Siberian Denisova cave in 2008.
[Read More]Photos: Ancient 'Golden Horde' City Revealed
Posted on June 9, 2023
| 2 minutes
| 424 words
| Mittie Cheatwood
Archaeologists have uncovered part of an ancient city founded by the heirs of Genghis Khan. The 750-year-old city, along with the remains of Christian temples found there, shed light on the Christian people who lived under the Khan's rule. Here's a look at the remains and artifacts found at the site along the Volga River in Russia. These images were provided courtesy of Dmitriy Kubankin. [Read full story on the ancient city]
[Read More]Photos: Discoveries at Roman Fort Vindolanda
Posted on June 9, 2023
| 2 minutes
| 280 words
| Patria Henriques
A Roman Fort VindolandaArchaeologists in England are excavating the ruins of the fort of Vindolanda, which was once at the northern edge of the Roman Empire. The site was used before, during and after the construction of Hadrian's Wall, and it was demolished and rebuilt several times during its 400-year history, leaving archaeologists with many layers to explore. [Read the full story on the Roman fort]
Military barracksThe black, oxygen-free soil in the abandoned 1,900-year-old barracks acts as a time capsule for traces of military life.
[Read More]Sea Anemone Proteins Could Help Fix Damaged Hearing
Posted on June 9, 2023
| 3 minutes
| 470 words
| Trudie Dory
When it comes to creatures with keen hearing ability, sea anemones are not at the top of the list. Nonetheless, new research suggests that certain proteins that help these animals repair their feathery tentacles could also eventually be used to help repair damage to cells within a mammal's inner ear.
The finding comes from a study done in mice and could be an early step toward finding a treatment for people with hearing loss, the researchers said.
[Read More]Skiers' Thrill-Seeking May Be Genetic
Posted on June 9, 2023
| 2 minutes
| 386 words
| Mittie Cheatwood
The desire to seek thrills on the ski slope may be in your genes, according to new research.
The study, which involved about 500 skiers and snowboarders of intermediate to expert skill level, found that people who had a particular genetic marker were more likely to say they tried daredevil moves on the slopes than those without the marker.
For instance, people with the marker more often agreed with statements such as "
[Read More]Swim for the Earth: 3D-Printed Bikini Scrubs Water Pollution
Posted on June 9, 2023
| 3 minutes
| 473 words
| Fernande Dalal
When most people swim in the ocean, they're likely not thinking about how they can mop up pollution as they splash around, but a team of researchers has created a 3D-printed bathing suit that could do just that.
Engineers from the University of California, Riverside, teamed up with designers from Eray Carbajo, an architecture and design firm based in New York City, to design a bikini that can absorb contaminants from water while a person swims.
[Read More]Vitamin D & Calcium May Not Prevent Postmenopausal Fractures
Posted on June 9, 2023
| 5 minutes
| 966 words
| Mittie Cheatwood
Taking vitamin D and calcium supplements may not help prevent bone fractures in postmenopausal women, according to a new report from a government-appointed panel of experts.
The report found no evidence that taking up to 400 international units (IUs) of vitamin D and 1,000 milligrams of calcium supplements a day reduced the risk of fracture in healthy postmenopausal women. In fact, the report found that these doses of vitamin D and calcium slightly increased the risk of kidney stones.
[Read More]Why 'Pinocchio' May Not Teach Kids Honesty
Posted on June 9, 2023
| 4 minutes
| 652 words
| Trudie Dory
For parents looking to teach their children a lesson about honesty, a new study suggests "George Washington and the Cherry Tree" is a more useful morality tale than "The Boy Who Cried Wolf."
Stories touting the positive outcomes of telling the truth promoted more honesty in kids than stories that emphasize the grave consequences of lying, researchers found.
"We were very surprised by our results, because we thought the 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf' and 'Pinocchio' should do better based on the adult findings that negative messaging helps change adult behaviors,"
[Read More]Why a Physics Revolution Might Be on Its Way
Posted on June 9, 2023
| 4 minutes
| 661 words
| Patria Henriques
The field of physics may be turned on its head soon, said renowned physicist Nima Arkani-Hamed during a live lecture from the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Canada.
For one, he said, the tried and true physics of relativity and quantum mechanics don't get along well. The problem is that in some sense, the principles behind these theories seem to be impossible when physicists dig a little deeper into them, Arkani-Hamed said.
[Read More]