Taking the tube in modern London means using the subway system for transportation. Going down the tube in Holocene-Era Saudi Arabia probably referred to employing underground tunnels for temporary shelter. A new study in the journal PLoS One paints a picture of how human herders lived over the past 7,000 years in a sometimes harsh desert environment. That lifestyle has remained relatively unknown due to poor preservation of organic remains in the region’s arid conditions, until the recent stud ...read more
If you picture a showdown between the chirpy dolphin and the toothy shark, you might imagine a pod ramming into the ocean’s iconic predator enough times to eventually kill it. To see such a predator done in by the animals we perceive as the underdogs certainly makes for a compelling role reversal.“You’ve got these amazingly intelligent, incredible dolphin predators, in social groups with complex social lives, and then the iconic shark,” says Michael Heithaus, a professor in the Departmen ...read more
Recently, collagen supplements have surged in popularity, touted for their wide-ranging health benefits. From improving the appearance of skin and nails to supporting heart and joint health, collagen is often presented as a wonder supplement. But what does science say? Here are the types of collagen and the various areas where collagen is believed to have a positive impact.What Is Collagen?Collagen is the most predominant protein in the human body. It consists of three polypeptide chains. Collag ...read more
“Warp speed, Mr. Sulu!” With these words, Captain Kirk of the Starship Enterprise prepared his ship for faster-than-light travel while inspiring a generation of aspiring physicists who watched Star Trek from their sofas. So it’s no surprise that in 1994, the theoretical physicist, Miguel Alcubierre, worked out how a warp drive might work in the real universe. The key feature of a warp drive is that it can propel a spaceship at superluminal speeds without the occupants experiencing huge acc ...read more
My journey toward the line of totality started with a road trip from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to southern Indiana. It was the first time I went on a road trip alone, and I felt thrilled about the adventure. A few hours' drive was worth seeing a rare event like a total solar eclipse.I didn't plan for the 2017 Eclipse and only briefly saw the partial eclipse from Wisconsin after a benevolent stranger handed me an extra pair of solar glasses. It was cool, but it didn't shake the ground for me. Fast-for ...read more