In 2019, a fin whale beached itself along the Gulf of California in Mexico. The gigantic creature was so frightened by the team of orcas trying to take it down that it ran itself into the ground on the beach and later died.While there have been only two documented instances of fin whales beaching themselves to escape killer whales, these giant mammals are being attacked more often, according to experts like Robert Pitman, a biologist who specializes in the study of killer whales at Oregon State ...read more
The word “leprosy” conjures images of biblical plagues, but the disease is still with us today. Caused by infectious bacteria, some 200,000 new cases are reported each year, according to the World Health Organization. In the United States, leprosy has been entrenched for more than a century in parts of the South where people came into contact with armadillos, the principle proven linkage from animal to humans. However, the more recent outbreaks in the Southeast, especially Florida, have not ...read more
Gamma rays are weightless, high-energy packets of electromagnetic radiation — the same stuff that makes up light. However, while visible light can comfortably light up a room, gamma rays can penetrate concrete, and cause serious damage to the human body as they pass through. While we may assume we’re safe from the effects of gamma radiation, one particular cosmic phenomenon — gamma-ray bursts — poses a chilling question: What would happen if one of these massive spikes of radiation hit t ...read more
In Argentina, where beef is a symbol of national pride, a government-led partnership has started certifying certain livestockas carbon neutral. It’s a big step that shouldn’t be underestimated, but getting the certification process right is crucial.The world’s livestock sector is a key driver of climate change, contributing around 12% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Two-thirdsof agriculture’s annual greenhouse gas emissions come from livestock, with raising cattle for meat typically ...read more
Is or was there life on Mars? That profound question is so complex that it will not be fully answered by the two NASA rovers now exploring it.But because of the literal groundwork the rovers are performing, scientists are finally investigating, in-depth and in unprecedented detail, the planet’s evidence for life, known as its “biosignatures.” This search is remarkably complicated, and in the case of Mars, it is spanning decades.As a geologist, I have had the extraordinary opportunity to wo ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine