Life looked different after an asteroid crashed into the planet around 66 million years ago. The dinosaurs died out, the arboreal mammals declined, and the terrestrial mammals thrived. The traditional story that’s told is that the asteroid decimated the dinosaurs and that the decimation of the dinosaurs allowed mammals to trade the treetops for the ground. But what if that traditional story is wrong? What if the mammalian transformation from arboreal to terrestrial was already underway at the ...read more
While volcanoes have brought profound changes to landscapes here on Earth, volcanic activity on other planets and moons has followed a different path. It's easy to imagine space volcanoes as even more ferocious and devastating versions of the ones scattered across Earth, but in reality, most of them have fallen into dormancy.Volcanic features have been observed on our fellow rocky planets, Venus and Mars, but they largely appear to be inactive right now. Some scientists, however, have suggested ...read more
In January 2025, researchers on the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s R/V Falkor (too) had to divert their plans after an iceberg roughly the size of Chicago broke away from the George VI Ice Shelf, a floating glacier that had been attached to the Antarctic Peninsula ice sheet.As the iceberg broke away, it exposed an area of seabed previously unseen by humans. There, they found it teeming with a variety of sea life. An Iceberg the Size of the Windy CityThe iceberg, named A-84 by the U.S. National Ice ...read more
Archeological evidence has indicated that early humans fabricated tools during the Middle Paleolithic period in Europe and Africa. East Asia, during that same time, was considered less advanced. A new finding demonstrates that we need to adjust our conception of when and where tools were first made and used.Researchers report the discovery of the “Quina technological system” — essentially tools for making tools, with various kinds of stone chips at its core — in southwest China, dating b ...read more
While a drop in libido is often associated with aging in women, it’s not just a female issue. Around 26 percent of men over 70 report a loss of sexual desire as well. Sex isn’t just about reproduction — physical intimacy fosters emotional connection, reduces stress, boosts the immune system, and generally improves mood. Understanding what affects our libido can reveal how lifestyle changes might enhance our sex drive and relationships.Age-related libido changes are seen across mammalian sp ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine