If you took our whole planet and ground it up into a powder, then analysed that powder for its elemental composition, what would you find? A third of the powder would be iron, another third would be oxygen. Of the remaining ~35%, 30% of it is magnesium and silicon. Most people would guess that maybe elements like carbon or hydrogen would be next on the list ... but they'd be wrong. The element that ends up at #5 on the list is sulfur. Now, this exercise of thinking of a "bulk Earth" shows how bi ...read more
Pterosaurs, which means winged lizard in Greek, are often referred to as flying dinosaurs, but they aren't actually dinosaurs. They're an extinct group of flying reptiles that ruled the skies starting 225 million years ago. Still, they're more closely related to birds and dinosaurs than they are modern reptiles. And they were also the first vertebrae to leave land and take to the skies.The Evolution of Pterosaurs(Credit: Akkharat Jarusilawong/Shutterstock)The earliest pterosaurs were smaller ...read more
The ocean is unfathomably deep.To try to fathom it, picture trekking from sea level to the top of the world’s tallest peak, Mount Everest. If it was inverted above the Mariana Trench, the submerged tip would come more than a mile short of the seafloor. This deepest region known in our seas — a crescent-shaped canyon near Guam and the Mariana Islands — is located in the western Pacific Ocean. How Deep Is the Mariana Trench?Some measurements in the Mariana Trench have charted depths exceedi ...read more
The content of this article may be triggering. Reader's discretion is advised. Most of us have experienced some type of toxic relationship. Maybe it's a partner, friend or family member — but no matter who they are, whenever we're around them, we're left feeling like less than our best selves. Research has shown that the quality of our relationships also impacts our physical health. Rosie Shrout, an assistant professor in human development and family science at Purdue University, says that t ...read more
The unnerving legend of the merchant ship Mary Celeste has persisted for more than 150 years. In late 1872, the ship left New York. About a month later, it was spotted near the Azores, just bobbing along. The crew on a passing ship sent out several unanswered signals. Sensing something was amiss, a few approached in a lifeboat.The surprised sailors found the Mary Celeste abandoned. There were no signs of life — or death. The ship’s wheel was eerily spinning on its own, and everything was le ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine
