In medical and engineering circles, it’s known by a few different names: cabinet respirator, tank respirator, negative pressure ventilator and others. But since its creation almost a century ago, this lifesaving device has been known almost universally by another name: the iron lung.What Is an Iron Lung?As intimidating as the name sounds — and as scary as the coffin-like device looked — the iron lung was a medical miracle for people suffering from something even scarier: poliomyelitis. Bef ...read more
In the Early Triassic period, about 248 million years ago, the Hupehsuchus, an ancient tiny marine reptile, filter-fed its way through the early oceans. Paleontologists made the discovery after uncovering two intact Hupehsuchus nanchangensis skull specimens in a recent study published in BMC Ecology and Evolution. The find makes it the first marine filter-feeder that appeared after Earth’s biggest mass extinction. An Ancient Marine ReptileThe Hupehsuchus is a type of ichthyosauromorph with pa ...read more
For nearly 3,000 years, Egypt was ruled by a procession of pharaohs, starting with the Old Kingdom in 2,700 B.C., then the Middle Kingdom and culminating with the New Kingdom, which lasted until 1070 B.C. For the most part, these were absolute monarchs whose power was considered divine.Dynasties passed from one ruler to another with infighting and inbreeding a plenty. It was not an easy time to be atop the throne. But a few rulers stood above the rest. 1. Khnum Khufu (2589 B.C. – 2566 B.C.) ...read more
Days come and go. Our circadian rhythms are tuned to the rising and setting of the Sun and the push and pull of the Moon. Days appear stable to us, an endless cycle of day and night, unless we decide to change our clocks, there are always 24 hours in a day.However, change is the norm when it comes to Earth's day length over geological periods. Earth's satellite, our Moon, steals rotational energy to travel farther and farther away from us over time. And as the Moon's gravitational effect on the ...read more
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to go on safari in southern Africa. One of the greatest thrills was going out at night looking for predators on the prowl: lions, leopards, hyenas.As we drove through the darkness, though, our spotlight occasionally lit up a smaller hunter – a slender, tawny feline, faintly spotted or striped. The glare would catch the small cat for a moment before it darted back into the shadows.Based on its size and appearance, I initially presumed it was someone’s pe ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine