Earth has experienced five documented mass extinctions to date. With the sixth extinction around the corner, scientists are looking to the past to try and understand how life continues on after one of these events. A new study, published in Science Advances, discusses a surprising discovery about the last mass extinction. Although the fifth mass extinction wiped out three-quarters of all species on Earth, each species-specific ecosystem survived.“It’s a really interesting and slightly disqu ...read more
In September 2023, a strange seismic signal rippled across global monitoring stations. Every 90 seconds, for nine days straight, the Earth subtly pulsed — and then it happened again a month later. No earthquake. No explosion. The suspected epicenter: the remote Dickson Fjord in East Greenland.Now, a new study published in Nature Communications from the University of Oxford has solved the mystery. Using cutting-edge satellite technology, researchers mapped the movement of water in the fjord and ...read more
For colon cancer patients, the path to a healthier, longer life is now within reach thanks to a clinical trial demonstrating the success of exercise after surgery and chemotherapy. Conducted over 17 years, the trial suggests that a structured exercise program can reduce the risk of cancer recurrence and give patients a new lease on life. A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine outlined the results, which were also presented at an annual meeting of the American Society of Clinic ...read more
Key Takeaways on Dog Dreams: Yes, dogs do dream. Most of our dreams, especially vivid ones, happen during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Importantly, Deirdre Barrett, of Harvard University says, “this stage of sleep looks very similar across all mammals.” Evidence suggests that dogs may have some kind of experience while sleeping. One popular theory of dreaming is the continuity hypothesis, which holds that dreams are built from the stuff of waking life.We dream about what we pay attention ...read more
Identifying prehistoric Australian megafauna from fossils may have gotten easier thanks to collagen peptide markers. These peptides can help researchers distinguish different animal genera and perhaps even species. This new information, published in Frontiers in Mammal Science, could not only help researchers identify animals such as a wombat that was the size of a hippo, a large-clawed marsupial, and a giant kangaroo, but it could also help provide clues as to why and how these animals went ex ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine