In 1798, Thomas Malthus, an English economist and demographer, published “An Essay on the Principle of Population,” in which he predicted that human population growth would eventually exceed the Earth’s ability to provide enough food for everyone. This would lead to famine, disease, war and other associated travails. So far, that hasn’t happened. In 1968, 170 years later, Paul Ehrlich published a book titled, The Population Bomb, another doomsaying work predicting that human fecun ...read more
When it comes to scientific, archaeological and paleontological discoveries, girls really DO get it done! If a casual Google search is anything to go by, it sometimes seems like girls are making astonishing finds every day, advancing our knowledge of science, nature, the ancient world and so much more. In honor of the upcoming International Day of Women and Girls in Science (Feb. 11), here are a few of our favorite discoveries, and the girls who made them. 1. Molly and the Megalodon The most rec ...read more
The Neanderthals represent the richest, most robust and most studied species in the hominin record, other than our own. And thanks to the wealth of available specimens — including their remains, tools, trash, and many more traces of their activities — scientists are piecing together a picture of their basic behavior, bit by bit. From the unique diet of the Neanderthal to the advanced language ability and communication skill, the picture that they're producing is far from primitive. In fact, ...read more
Stonehenge is probably the world's most renowned henge – the name given to prehistoric stone or wooden circles. It's thought that the site's builders gathered close by at a settlement called Durrington Walls, which dates back to around 2500 B.C. Found around two miles from Stonehenge, archaeological studies have revealed what its inhabitants used to feast on. Where's The Pork? Researchers gleaned insights from a massive haul of animal bones found at Durrington Walls, explains Umberto Albar ...read more
The gravitational force is by far the weakest of the four forces of nature. It’s simple to defy gravity: just lift something in the air. But the annoying thing about gravity is that it’s both persistent and has an infinite range, which takes a surprising amount of work to overcome. Gravity is so weak that even if it were a billion times stronger than it is now, it would still be the weakest of all the forces. The whole mass of the Earth is pulling on you, but you can reach over and grab a pe ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine