If you’re familiar with the word “chimera,” it’s probably from Greek mythology, where it refers to a fire-breathing, three-in-one monster — lion-like overall, with a goat’s head protruding from its back and a snake’s head at the tip of its tail.The modern, scientific worldview leaves little room for these grotesque creatures, but it has replaced them with something just as strange and wonderful: human chimeras.Most of us are the product of a single genetic code. When our parents co ...read more
Anyone who spends their time in a messy office has likely heard it before: “I don’t know how you can work like this.” And in some ways, it seems to make sense. Piles of junk have a way of capturing our attention, whether it’s the half dozen sticky notes, the empty coffee cup or the collection of bobbleheads behind your laptop. Then again, others swear they can’t operate without the pile of business cards and scores of open browser tabs. Some of us thrive in chaos.But what does the scie ...read more
The heat signature from lava erupting on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula is seen in this image captured by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on Feb. 8, 2023, less than 10 hours after the event began. (Credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery)Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula has cracked open again, creating a nearly 2-mile-long volcanic dyke that has allowed lava to shoot up as high as a 20-story building. The Feb. 8 eruption sent molten rock sluicing across a snow-covered lands ...read more
In the qualifying matches for the FIFA World Cup of 1970, Honduras won the first match in its capital Tegucigalpa, and El Salvador won the second in San Salvador. Violence broke out at both matches between the visiting and home fans, and thousands of Salvadorans left Honduras after their victory in the second match, avoiding persecution. At the time, there were historical tensions between Honduras and El Salvador that escalated within the matches.This soccer war isn’t the only example of an ex ...read more
In the diverse world of arachnids, black widow spiders, scientifically categorized in the genus Latrodectus, stand out for their distinct appearance and the notorious potency of their venom. But you could argue that the iconic black widow gets a bit of a bad rap.What Is a Black Widow Spider?(Credit: Mark Kostich/Shutterstock)Black widow spiders, known scientifically as Latrodectus, are instantly recognizable by their glossy black bodies and the iconic red hourglass marking on their abdomens (at ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine