Determining what is and isn’t art is tough. Determining who did and didn’t make a particular art piece is tougher. That’s the problem that torments the paleoarchaeologists and paleoanthropologists who study prehistoric paintings, anyway. And though they typically agree about which ancient scrapes, scratches and marks were made by human artists and which were not, they sometimes struggle to attribute those ancient markings to specific human species.According to a new paper in PLOS ONE, howe ...read more
Dinosaurs roamed Earth for millions of years, during a major geologic era known as the Mesozoic. Fossils, scientific discoveries and tireless research efforts have gradually unveiled the mesmerizing tapestry of the dinosaur timeline. Their captivating tale begins in the Triassic period, reaches its peak during the well-known Jurassic period and comes to a dramatic end in the late Cretaceous period. Discover how each of these distinct periods served as a stage for the evolutionary dramas that unf ...read more
Whether you’re at the dog park or just taking a stroll around the block, you’ve surely seen this before: A pup who looks — almost uncannily — like a miniature version of the human holding its leash.Maybe it’s the muscular pit bull who resembles its similarly-buff owner. Or the prim-and-proper poodle whose coiffed fur is a perfect match for its human's stylish hairdo. You may have even suppressed a chuckle at the basset hound whose mellow demeanor mirrors that of its droopy-eyed handler ...read more
The search continues for the missing Titan submersible, which lost contact with its parent ship on the morning of June 18, 2023, 1 hour and 45 minutes into a planned multi-hour dive to the wreck of the Titanic. The capsule-shaped vessel belongs to the OceanGate company, which offers seats on the submersible, and a chance to visit the famous ocean liner, at a cost of $250,000 person.As the Boston Coast Guard leads a challenging rescue effort, details have begun to emerge about the cramped, exhila ...read more
For centuries, physicians were puzzled by a rare phenomenon. Children, often siblings, were born healthy to healthy parents. But around six years old, they began experiencing a cognitive decline. They lost their speech, sight and motor skills. They died within a few years.What Is Childhood Dementia?British scientist Frederick Batten described the condition in 1903 and named it after himself. In the last 50 years, scientists have further identified Batten’s disease as a juvenile form of a neu ...read more