Floating in space can slow you down — not just physically, but mentally as well.Scientists studied how 25 astronauts who lived an average of six month on the International Space Station (ISS) performed on a number of cognitive tests. The astronauts completed the activities slower, but no less accurately than they would have on Earth. And once back home, they could complete the same jobs as well, but faster, according to a report in Frontiers in Physiology.“We show that there is no evidence o ...read more
Mold growth in your home can be unsettling. Blackened spots and dusty patches on the walls are signs that something is amiss, but it is important to distinguish between mold growth that is a nuisance and mold growth that may be harmful.There are more than 1 million species of fungi. Some are used to produce important medications. Others can cause life-threatening infections when they grow in the body.Microscopic fungi that grow in homes are a problem because they can trigger asthma and other all ...read more
In an era where digital devices are everywhere, the term “screen time” has become a buzzphrase in discussions about technology’s impact on people’s lives. Parents are concerned about their children’s screen habits. But what if this entire approach to screen time is fundamentally flawed?While researchers have made advances in measuring screen use, a detailed critique of the research in 2020 revealed major issues in how screen time is conceptualized, measured, and studied. I study how di ...read more
The human remains of 12 individuals have been discovered in a chamber in the well-known Petra in Jordan.Petra, one of the new seven wonders of the world and a UNESCO World Heritage site, was the capital of the Nabatean Kingdom, which lasted from roughly 400 B.C. until the Romans absorbed the Kingdom as a province in the beginning of the second century A.D.“Complete burial sites are not a common thing in Petra,” says Richard Bates, a geophysicist at St. Andrews University in Scotland who has ...read more
We often associate the word “caveman” with crude simplicity. But based on a new finding, maybe we should, instead, use it as a stand-in for technological innovation. Researchers discovered a new kind of fire pit dating back about 75,000 years. After analyzing its novel design — a ringed trench rather than a simple pit — and the traces of chemical components left behind by burning, they determined that Neanderthals used it to produce tar from rockrose (Cistus ladanifer). They then employe ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine