In some of their earliest iterations, they were considered to be responsible for natural disasters or destructive forces like thunder and lightning. In other tales, they appear as grotesque, loincloth-clad ogres with sharp teeth and horns. Sometimes, they are depicted as mountain-dwelling crones shunned by society. In some modern iterations, they can even be cute and gentle. These entities can all be categorized as oni — supernatural figures that appear across Japanese literature, folklore, ar ...read more
One of the greatest mysteries of modern science is how life on Earth began. Scientists believe Earth formed about 4.5 billion years ago and that life emerged a few hundred million years later during a period known as the Hadean eon. But exactly how this happened is the subject of huge debate.One widely championed theory is that Earth was covered with a prebiotic soup that catalyzed the formation of ribonucleic acid encapsulated within clusters of surfactant molecules. These clusters eventually f ...read more
Whether you grew up with Hans Christan Anderson fairy tales or watched Peter Pan, Pirates of the Caribbean and Harry Potter, you’ve probably heard of mermaid legends. There isn’t much evidence, except for speculation, that mermaids existed. However, these legends can be found all over the world. Some believe that aquatic mammals such as manatees and dugongs inspired mermaid legends. There is even an account from Christopher Columbus saying that members of his crew had spotted “mermai ...read more
Mike Bear had just slipped underwater, offshore near San Diego, and was floating among the long fronds of a kelp forest when a long shadow passed between him and his diving partner. Gliding by, nearly within arm’s reach, was the sleek bulk of a sevengill shark, which Bear estimated at about nine feet long.“To say we were startled would be an understatement,” Bear, a lifelong diver, says. The encounter, not uncommon among sevengill sharks, which inhabit the Pacific coast of the United State ...read more
Earth’s beautiful, neon-colored aurorae occur when charged particles from the sun (the solar wind) collide with the planet’s outer atmosphere, called the ionosphere. While this bombardment could spell trouble for Earth-dwellers, the Earth’s magnetic field lassos the particles and channels them up above the poles. Brightly luminescent, the aurorae manifest as clouds and ribbons in the sky. New research released by the Europlanet Society details the cause behind an even stranger aurora, the ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine
