Weird structures near Earth's core may be scars from a primordial interplanetary collision

 Posted on May 14, 2023  |  3 minutes  |  591 words  |  Arica Deslauriers

A group of mysterious, ultradense structures just outside Earth's core may be the remnants of an ancient interplanetary collision, new research suggests. These strange structures are known as ultralow-velocity zones (ULVZs), because seismic waves generated by earthquakes travel about 50% more slowly through these zones than through the surrounding mantle. That means the ULVZs are also much denser than the rest of the mantle, and possibly made of heavier elements.  [Read More]

When Ant-Eating Bears Arrive, A Native Plant Thrives

 Posted on May 14, 2023  |  3 minutes  |  451 words  |  Fernande Dalal

Biologist Josh Grinath seized a rare chance to study an ecosystem from top to tiny bottom when a black bear blundered through his Rocky Mountain meadow research plot, gobbling up ants and gnawing on equipment. Grinath, a researcher at Florida State University, was already analyzing the codependent relationship between ants and treehoppers, which are tiny insects that poop sweet honeydew juice. The ants ward off predators that eat treehoppers, and in return, gorge on honeydew. [Read More]

Without Claws or Armor, 520-Million-Year-Old 'Naked' Critter Was Likely a Loner

 Posted on May 14, 2023  |  3 minutes  |  520 words  |  Patria Henriques

A 'naked,' wormlike creature that lived in the ocean 520 million years ago was so defenseless, it likely lived as a recluse, evading hungry predators by hiding in dark crevices or among clusters of sponges, a new study finds. The newly identified critter, which didn't have body armor or claws — making it remarkably vulnerable —lived during the Cambrian period, which lasted from about 543 million to 490 million years ago, the researchers said. [Read More]

Chest Compressions Now Come First in CPR

 Posted on May 13, 2023  |  4 minutes  |  673 words  |  Trudie Dory

Chest compressions should now come first when performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), according to new American Heart Association guidelines released today. Compressions should be followed by tilting the victim's head back, which opens the airway, then breathing into the victim's mouth, according to the new guidelines, which apply to any adult, child or infant who isn't breathing normally and is unresponsive. Previously, the guidelines recommended CPR be given in the order of the " [Read More]

Civil War Mystery Solved? Confederate Sub's Torpedo May Have Killed Its Crew

 Posted on May 13, 2023  |  7 minutes  |  1421 words  |  Trudie Dory

The crew of the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley, the first combat submarine to sink an enemy ship, may have instantly killed themselves with their own weapon, according to a new study. This finding may have solved a mystery that has endured for more than 150 years about the fate of the sub. The first and last combat mission of the Hunley took place during the Civil War on the night of Feb. [Read More]

Critically Endangered Porpoise Could Be Extinct in Four Years

 Posted on May 13, 2023  |  3 minutes  |  523 words  |  Patria Henriques

The rarest and most endangered marine mammal in the world could go extinct in four years without stepped-up enforcement measures, new research suggests. Vaquitas, rare porpoises that live off the coast of Mexico, have been dying in droves, because the animals get caught in fishing nets. Now, a new study shows that governments are doing little to protect the animals against illegal fishing nets. The vaquita, or Phocoena sinus, lives in the Gulf of California, off the coast of Mexico. [Read More]

Glowing Slinky-Like 'Creature' Is Actually a Mass of Eggs

 Posted on May 13, 2023  |  3 minutes  |  572 words  |  Trudie Dory

A massive, glowing, Slinky-like "creature" photographed by a scuba diver off the coast of Australia has spurred intense speculation about what the mystery beast could be. Is it a sea monster of the deep? A giant sea squirt? An enormous, fire-bodied sea worm? As it turns out, it's none of the above. The translucent, glowing tube that was photographed by Jay Wink, owner and operator of Abc Scuba Diving Port Douglas, off Port Douglas, Queensland, is made up of strings of squid eggs from a little-known species, said Rebecca Helm, a jellyfish biologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. [Read More]

Human Heartbeats and Breathing Can Synchronize

 Posted on May 13, 2023  |  2 minutes  |  299 words  |  Fernande Dalal

For the first time, scientists have solid evidence that heartbeats and breathing can become synchronized. Scientists have investigated patterns between heartbeats, brain waves and other body signals for years. Discovering any such links could help spot early warning signs of illness. But heartbeats and breathing normally have very different rhythms. The heart typically beats at 60 to 70 times per minute while the breathing rate is about one-fifth that. Prior studies had detected signs that breathing and heartbeat could synch up, but only in small groups of a dozen or so volunteers. [Read More]

In the Case of the Missing Pigeon Toes, Human Hair May Be to Blame

 Posted on May 13, 2023  |  2 minutes  |  423 words  |  Fernande Dalal

Bird-watchers in Paris have for years noticed something odd about the city's pigeons: Many of the omnipresent avians are missing one or more toes.  Now, scientists think they know why, and it's a bit of a head-scratcher: A new study suggests that human hair might be the culprit. Previous research had hinted that pigeons could incur foot damage from bacterial infections caused by standing in their own poop. But a closer look later revealed remnants of strings and often human hair caught between the digits, according to research published in 2018 in the journal Natures Sciences Sociétés. [Read More]

Is there a puppy heaven? Owners think so, headstones in pet cemeteries show

 Posted on May 13, 2023  |  4 minutes  |  706 words  |  Fernande Dalal

Pet owners in the 19th century dearly loved their furry friends, but contemporary pet owners are more likely to believe in an afterlife where they'll see their deceased pets once more.  Meaningful relationships between people and animals — unto death and beyond — have existed for thousands of years. Human graves dating to the Stone Age and the Paleolithic era hold dogs that may have been pets, and in 1881 the first public cemetery devoted entirely to pets was established in Hyde Park, London. [Read More]