For someplace so cold, Antarctica sure is a hotbed of scientific endeavors, from geology and meteorology to astronomy and archaeology.Wait, archaeology?That’s right. Even in one of the most desolate places on Earth, archaeologists have conducted research on the ice, although not in the way that you might think.The Mystery Beneath the IceHere, we have to acknowledge that, among a subset of pop-culture theorists and conspiracy buffs, it’s a popular pastime to imagine that somewhere beneath the ...read more
It’s dawn in the savanna, and its inhabitants are already starting to stir. Giraffes are munching on the tops of trees, and gazelles are ambling through the shrub-spotted grasslands. Elephants are trampling the thirsty turf, sending sprays of dust into the dry savannah air, and buffalos are bent with their snuffling snouts to the ground. Rarely are any of these grazing animals alone, at this time of day or any other. And though they typically travel in herds, including tens to hundreds to thou ...read more
Under the age of 25, GenZers are digital natives who can shop, order takeout, and find a romantic partner, all with a few swipes of the finger. On the other hand, Baby Boomers, who are over the age of 57, have a shakier grasp on technology and are more likely to struggle with basic online tasks like product returns, per a Nfinite study. What makes these two generations so different? Social Media Use by GenerationFor many GenZers, it’s typical to spend about three hours a day using social m ...read more
As fall begins across the Northern Hemisphere, hundreds of millions of birds are preparing for a journey that can take them thousands of miles to warmer climates near the equator. These fall migrations are both a simple fact of life for many avian species, and an epic adventure that takes them halfway across the globe.Seasonal migrations allow birds to take advantage of prime habitats for feeding and reproducing in the warmer summer months before escaping the deadly cold of winter. But many bird ...read more
A supercomputer at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee called Summit takes up the same floor space as a couple of tennis courts, and weighs more than a large commercial aircraft. In certain cases, the machine can perform about a billion calculations per second, allowing it to simulate complex systems in physics, biology and other fields.Recently, a team of astronomers used Summit to simulate a supermassive black hole and the swirl of matter (the “accretion disk”) that surrounds it ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine