Appreciating beauty is part of most people’s everyday lives. We find it in the natural world, in one another, in art and even in ideas. It feels good when we see something beautiful.But this appreciation of beauty presents a slight paradox.Studies on human aesthetic preferences have found that our evaluations of beauty converge on certain features: simplicity, symmetry, juxtapositions of color, and particular shapes, ratios and geometries. And yet, individuals can possess vastly different noti ...read more
Temnothorax nylanderi is a low-key species of ant found mostly in Europe, where it builds nests in tree bark and rotting branches and other woody, secluded places. This tiny brown arthropod leads a quiet life, preferring shade and shelter and staying out of the way of the woodpecker’s bill.But for all this quiet, T. nylanderi faces a strange, alien threat in the form of a parasite that turns its members into yellowed, sedentary oafs. These compromised individuals hang out in the nest, not doin ...read more
Most dog owners are familiar with their pups' enthusiasm for food, whether it's begging for a bite, scavenging crumbs or munching on grass. It seems like dogs can eat almost anything — but should they? Research suggests that, with a few key exceptions, dogs have pretty flexible diets. In fact, their ability to eat a wide variety of foods likely played a major role in making dogs the human companions they are today. However, just because a food doesn’t hurt your pup, doesn’t necessarily m ...read more
Around a decade ago, an astonishing assortment of hominin bones was discovered in the depths of South Africa's Rising Star Cave. Within two years of the discovery, researchers had determined that the bones represented a new species, which they named Homo naledi. Short, stout and small-brained, the species trampled through South Africa between 335,000 and 241,000 years ago and behaved brutishly.Well, that's what most paleoarchaeologists and paleoanthropologists who read about the discovery assume ...read more
Popular among dinosaur lovers and Jurassic Park fans alike, Spinosaurus was once a mighty predator of the Late Cretaceous Period. The dinosaur's long, paddle-like tail likely helped propel it through the water and its crocodile-like snout made it apt at hunting fish. Most notably, it had a large sail on its back. The debate on whether or not this dino used its sail for swimming is still ongoing. The story behind the first discovered Spinosaurus fossils is almost as interesting as an ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine
