Dwarf stars invisible to the naked eye could be hiding a wealth of exoplanets that contain liquid water and suitable conditions for life, according to a new study. The faint red stars make up some 58 of the 100-plus billion stars in the Milky Way, so the new findings greatly expand the prospects for planet hunting.Scientists already knew that red dwarfs hosted planets, but the new study estimates what percentage of their planets orbit in a way that preserves liquid water and chances for life.Wha ...read more
With their big eyes and bulbous bodies, frogs are the most adorable of the amphibians. But frogs are also a whole lot more than adorable, being among the most diverse animals in the world. While some spend their time in the trees, others settle in the sand. While some are small, others are substantial. And while some blend into their surroundings, others demand to be seen. Here are a few froggy facts, and a few of the cutest frogs found around the world today.Types of FrogsRepresenting over 7,60 ...read more
These days, the term “Y2K” is mostly associated with a recurring fashion trend. But a couple of decades ago, it was an ominous abbreviation that emerged in the media — and in the worst nightmares of those who experienced it — for a completely different reason.Y2K was shorthand for a potential doomsday scenario that envisioned the downfall of global power grids, the wiping out of financial assets at banks and businesses and the general obliteration of the computer systems upon which moder ...read more
On April 5, 1909, a newspaper called the Arizona Gazette published an article on the front page of its evening edition. The story, “Explorations in the Grand Canyon,” was filled with wild claims that remnants of an Egyptian civilization had been discovered within a massive cave in the Grand Canyon’s cliffs. Perched 2,000 feet above the Colorado River, the chambers of this “underground citadel” were littered with artifacts, hieroglyphics and even mummified remains, possibly of Egyptian ...read more
Flying fish belong to the family Exocoetidae, which means in Latin, “fish that sleeps on the shore.” The family contains about 60 flying fish species that live about 5 years and use special ray-shaped fins underwater. They eat a humble diet of plankton and other small crustaceans.You can see this species in pop culture: In the seventh level of the original Super Mario Bros., Mario must run through a gauntlet of little red flying pufferfish called Cheep Cheeps. But in reality, they soar throu ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine
