One pandemic was bad enough. But in the summer of 2022, just as people were getting over the shared fear and trauma of the COVID global outbreak, world health officials declared a new public health emergency, thanks to the spread of the so-called monkeypox virus.It’s fair to say that a lot of people went ape over the news. What the heck was monkeypox? Was it anything like chickenpox … or worse, smallpox? Was this the start of another pandemic? Just how deadly was this new viral threat?Luckil ...read more
Around 13,000 years ago, humans made their way into the Amazon Basin region of South America, imparting distinct traces of culture such as massive ochre cave paintings. Revealing new information about early human migration, research spearheaded by archaeologists at the University of Exeter; the University of Antioquia, Medellín; and the University National of Colombia, Bogotá has delved into the lives and activities of ancient humans who took shelter in caves throughout the region. The finding ...read more
Looking up at the night sky can fill you with awe as you sift through the tiny points of light. Some stars are more luminous than others because of their proximity to Earth and the closest stars to Earth will appear the brightest. In astronomy, brightness is measured in negatives. This means, the larger the number, the dimmer the object. For example, Earth’s moon has a magnitude of -12.6 and our Sun has a magnitude of -26.7. The farthest stars are not seen with the naked eye, but only seen wit ...read more
Believe it or not, long before movie theaters and bowling alleys, before Settlers of Catan and Xbox, our ancestors found pleasant ways to pass their idle hours. Then as now, obligations filled only so much of the day — the rest was theirs to do with as they liked.Leisure time has always been a part of the human experience, but its role has shifted over time, differing between cultures and across hierarchical classes. From singalongs to sports to board games — not to mention the occasional p ...read more
As February 2024 drew to a close, many residents across the Midwest and parts of the western United States saw unseasonably warm temperatures. The spring weather, which usually tends to show up in mid to late March, arrived early for some of these states this year, known as “false spring.” Even though the Midwest could enjoy a warm sunny day, within hours, a winter whiplash pushed the warmth out and plummeted temperatures to below freezing. From tornados to blizzards to record-breaking te ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine