Man has been domesticating animals for more than 15,000 years. Dogs are likely the first, followed by sheep, pigs, goats, and horses. The widely accepted criteria of “domesticated” include genetic differences from their ancestors, dependence on humans for food, and being unlikely or unable to breed with their wild counterparts. Although some people keep wild and exotic animals as pets, it’s not recommended. Here are six animals that people shouldn’t domesticate.1. Can Raccoons Be Domest ...read more

When the satellite communications failed on NASA’s Super Pressure Balloon-borne Imaging Telescope, SuperBIT, the team knew they were in danger of losing their astronomical imaging data, which the telescope had painstakingly gathered from above 99.5 per cent of the atmosphere. But the mission planners had a backup plan. Their idea was to drop the entire telescope, with all its data, to the ground by parachute so it could be used again. Having circumnavigated the southern hemisphere five times, ...read more

Animals and humans have coexisted since our early ancestors first emerged nearly 2 million years ago. Researchers have found artifacts from this time period, such as stone tools in the archaeological site Kanjera South in Kenya, showing the first tangible proof of ancient humans interacting with and hunting animals.This symbiotic relationship between humans and animals hardly comes as a surprise when domesticated pets like dogs and cats are commonplace in the modern world. However, the animals ...read more

For some seniors, enjoying good health during their golden years could be as simple as staying hydrated. In a January 2023 article in The Lancet, researchers followed more than 11,000 participants for 25 years and found the most hydrated were less at risk for chronic diseases and premature death.People become less hydrated as they age, and the authors concluded that having a hydration routine could help a person slow the aging process.Dementia patients, however, aren’t always able to commu ...read more

The discovery of a new dinosaur found within 10 feet of its fossilized eggs is shedding light on how early reptiles reproduced and the evolution of the egg.Qianlong shouhu, which means “Guizhou dragon guarding,” lived during the early Jurassic Period some 190 million years ago, when it was an early precursor to immense sauropod dinosaurs such as the brontosaurus. Q. shouhu, however, was not so large and weighed a mere ton and measured about 20 feet long. Also unlike brontosaurus, it walked o ...read more

The spinal cord is like a superhighway for the body’s nervous system. Partial injuries, like lane closures, let fewer brain signals through, but complete spinal cord injuries are akin to highway closures. No signals cross the injury site to the other side, paralyzing the body below the site of the injury.Today, there’s no way to restore motor function – such as the ability to walk – below the injury site. A recent study published in Science, however, shows that walking can be restored ev ...read more

You wake up one day, and your nose feels a little stuffy. You find yourself reaching for that box of Kleenex more and more, and to your dismay, the crumpled tissues are starting to pile up. Maybe there’s an ominous tickle in your throat that just won’t go away, no matter how much water you chug.It’s upsetting but not surprising: ‘Tis the season of respiratory viruses. As we anticipate the yearly uptick of flu and common cold cases, how can we distinguish those sicknesses from the still-p ...read more

Alcohol, often deployed as a social lubricant, can easily turn into a poison. It's a thin line between enjoyment and danger. Alcohol poisoning is a serious — and sometimes deadly — consequence of drinking large amounts of alcohol over a short period of time. Understanding what alcohol poising is, recognizing the symptoms, and knowing how to respond could be lifesaving. So in this article, we’ll go over the basics of alcohol poisoning. What Is Alcohol Poisoning?Alcohol poisoning occurs when ...read more

Alcohol is a ubiquitous part of many cultures and social gatherings. But it is also a substance that can profoundly impact the human body. And it stays in your system longer than you might think. Understanding the journey of alcohol through the body is crucial for understanding the impacts it can have on your health and for making informed decisions. So, let’s take a deeper dive into exactly how the human body processes and gets rid of alcohol, as well as the effects alcohol detox can have. Ho ...read more

The saccule and utricle, two chambers in the inner ear, detect the direction of gravity and help the body to balance. Without their influence, we quickly become lost and disoriented.To prevent this confusion from happening to astronauts in space, scientists at Brandeis University have proposed a new system that is surprisingly simple.It involves a series of small vibrating devices that are taped to the skin and vibrate to signal one’s position in space, a kind of mechanical inner ear. Early re ...read more