Imagine getting a Facebook friend request from the deceased. This happened to me not once, but twice. The account belonged to a distant relative named Carolyn who passed away in 2020 at the age of 96 due to COVID-19-related complications.Carolyn’s daughter-in-law, Janet, says, “Even into her 90s, Carolyn was somewhat active on Facebook. [Afterwards, it] was a useful tool to share information about her passing and gave the family a place to peruse old photos, either for memories or to use in ...read more

If you hear “extraterrestrial,” what do you picture? Google it, and chances are you’ll find at least one visualization of a humanoid alien, maybe even waving at the camera.The idea that extraterrestrials, specifically intelligent ones, might exist has long captured our fascination. Its longevity across the ages indicates a burning question: Is something or someone else out there?What Does Extraterrestrial Really Mean?The word itself is quite simple. “Extra” means outside of, and “ter ...read more

It was considered the biggest spider ever to scuttle across the Earth. Or so scientists in Argentina thought when they uncovered the fossil of what they inevitably dubbed Megarachne — a name worthy of a classic B-movie monster. While Megarachne would never have been big enough to go up against Godzilla, it was nothing you’d want to find under your bed either. The 300-million-year-old fossil revealed a creature with a leg span of nearly 20 inches and a body that was even longer — 21 inches. ...read more

Thanks to one of the slowest-ticking clocks in the universe, scientists have determined the moon is about 40 million years older than previously thought.That means the Earth was a young 100 million years old when an object about the size of Mars slammed into it, slinging magma out into Earth’s orbit.Over time, all that material cooled and formed into what we now refer to as the moon. It's unknown whether this took years or mere hours, per a 2022 simulation.As the moon’s mantle cooled, it for ...read more

For many men, the quest to maintain optimal testosterone levels is a common concern, especially as they advance in age. Testosterone is a hormone that is naturally produced in the bodies of both males and females, but males typically generate much more of it. For men, testosterone is primarily produced in the testicles, and it plays a pivotal role in male development, muscle mass, bone density, and sexual function. However, natural testosterone levels can decline with age, leading to a condition ...read more

Cats pop up in folklore and history all the way back to the Egyptians — who were notorious cat lovers and even cat worshippers. Cats were adored in ancient Rome, China, and the Middle East as well.However, cats were not adored so much in the European middle ages — especially black cats. In 1233, Pope Gregory IX issued a papal bull — Vox in Rama — as an injunction against (as well as a screed about) satanic cults that he’d been informed were proliferating in parts of Germany. The Origin ...read more

You’ve heard of plastics in the ocean. Get ready for metals in the sky.A new study has found widespread metallic particles in the stratosphere, one of the highest layers of the atmosphere, where the ozone layer protects the world from ultraviolet radiation. Researchers say the contaminants are not normally found in such unusual concentrations and likely bled from satellites, rocket components, and other space-faring vehicles as they reentered the atmosphere.The threat posed to the ozone layer ...read more

Sea moss, a type of red algae that is commonly referred to as Irish moss, has recently gained popularity in the health and wellness sphere. Because it is rich in minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, sea moss is often lauded for its health benefits, with claims ranging from boosting immunity to improving digestion. However, like any other supplement, it's essential to first sift through the hype about sea moss. So, before you start taking it, you must first consider both its benefits and potenti ...read more

There's a whole world of stunning and strange microorganisms that scientists are just starting to discover. But doing so hasn't been a walk in the microbial park. To identify these microbes and to decipher their secrets, scientists have needed to think outside of the box, searching for microbes in some pretty odd and outlandish places. For Joseph Mougous, a microbiologist at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the University of Washington, that means putting people’s mouths to practice. T ...read more

October is a month for giant gourds. For pumpkins, growers are testing the limits on just how giant these gourds can get. Growers everywhere spend their springs and summers prepping to grow a champion pumpkin. Scientific studies have yet to explain the best ways to grow the giant pumpkins. However, to push a pumpkin's limits, growers must consider the seed's genetics, soil health, beneficial insects, fertilizer, and concoctions of beneficial bacteria. So, how might the next record be broken? Wha ...read more