This is an estimate of what Denisovan's may have looked like, based on a new DNAS analysis technique. (Credit: Maayan Harel)
Every time archaeologists pry the remains of a newly-identified human ancestor from the earth, there’s one question we care about most: What did they look like? For the first time, researchers have tried to answer that burning query about Denisovans, one of the most intriguing ancient relatives on our family tree.
Discovered in 2010 in a Siberian cave, these an ...read more
Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria grown in culture. (Credit: Sirirat/Shutterstock)
Three years ago, a woman in upstate New York was charged with drunk driving and then exonerated when she proved her high blood alcohol level was the result of a rare condition in which her body brews its own alcohol. At the time, the bizarre story made national headlines. Now, auto-brewery syndrome, as the condition is called, may have helped researchers unlock some of the secrets of a common but little-understo ...read more
An artist’s concept of a ring of dust orbiting Tabby’s Star. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
About
four years ago, one star gained notoriety when some astronomers suggested its
weird light pattern could be signs of artificial “alien megastructures” blocking the
star’s light. Though scientists generally say that clouds of gas and dust are most
likely the culprit, the source of that gas and dust remains a mystery.
One possibility is that the star, formally called KI ...read more
A sign in the Democratic Republic of the Congo warns people that Ebola is in the area. (Credit: Sergey Uryadnikov/Shutterstock)
The Ebola virus continues to ravage populations across Africa. But earlier this week, researchers reported that they've figured out what makes Ebola just so virulent. One particular protein is giving Ebola its punch, and researchers know how to switch it off. The find could lead to new vaccines and may give a huge boost to Ebola research safety.
Ebola's Sneak At ...read more
Misophonia is an aversive reaction to specific sounds that emerges in childhood, most often with annoyance that quickly turns to anger. (Credit: mamaza/Shutterstock)
It was the salads that got me. On nights when my parents started off dinner with some leafy greens, I left the room. The habit quickly became a ritual, and to my family’s credit – or not – no one ever remarked on it. It was just another quirk, like biting fingernails, or sticking your tongue out when you c ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine