If gorillas strike you as intimidating, try to imagine a nearly 10-foot lookalike: that dizzying stat belongs to none other than Gigantopithecus blacki. Don’t worry about running into this colossus of an ape when you’re out and about; G. blacki went extinct long ago, but for years, researchers couldn’t decipher exactly when and why it disappeared. The only concrete traces it has left come in the form of 2000 fossilized teeth and four jawbones.But new evidence has finally answered these bur ...read more
Amid all the working parts of the human body, the respiratory system administers some of the most important functions that keep us alive. This ensemble of organs, which contains the mouth, nose, throat, and lungs, lets us breathe and talk, manages our body temperature, brings oxygen to other organs, and removes waste carbon dioxide. A plethora of diseases can target the respiratory system, disrupting our health in ways that limit those essential functions. Be on the watch for these respiratory ...read more
When a 6-mile-wide asteroid struck Earth at the end of the Cretaceous period some 66 million years ago, it wiped out the majority of living organisms. Many victims were instantly fried by fires or drowned in tsunamis. The rest, meanwhile, succumbed to hostile conditions and the gradual collapse of entire ecosystems. In the end, about three-quarters of all species were swept into oblivion.Yet many also survived and, eventually, repopulated the planet. Every living thing today is descended from th ...read more
In 2024, we commemorate a milestone in the field of paleontology: the 200th anniversary of the discovery of the Megalosaurus. This landmark event marked the beginning of an era of wonder and exploration into the age of dinosaurs. It was a turning point in our understanding of the natural world, revealing the existence of creatures beyond our wildest imagination. The discovery of the Megalosaurus not only introduced us to these prehistoric giants but also paved the way for numerous subsequent di ...read more
You may notice more aches and pains in your joints as you age. Maybe it’s harder than it used to be to recover from a hard workout. Maybe you’ve noticed some cracking or clicking in your joints or tenderness in your hands and wrists. As we grow older, the wear and tear on our joints can start to take its toll on the body. While it’s common, it can be a painful sign of aging.What Is Arthritis?(Credit: Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock)While there are many forms of arthritis, generally speaking, it†...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine