Ancient tools, buried for millions of years in Kenya, may be the oldest example yet of our ancestors’ technological prowess. The tools, recently discvered on the Homa Peninsula in Lake Victoria, are now the earliest known examples of Oldowan technology — stretching its known start date back by as many as 400,000 years. The Oldowan Toolkit “[Oldowan] is a real benchmark of our technology,” says paleontologist Rick Potts, the director of the Human Origins Program at the Smithsonian Nationa ...read more
The internet is awash with information on the best diets to follow — and navigating this maelstrom of tips and tricks can be daunting. One that frequently crops up in this space is the Mediterranean diet. Inspired by the foods of sun-soaked and olive-rich countries such as Spain, Greece and Italy, this traditional diet has a reputation for being both delicious and healthy. What is in the Mediterranean Diet Though the exact approach and recipes may vary, it generally consists of a lot of fruits ...read more
The record of the Neanderthals is nothing short of spectacular. Countless sites contain the traces of the individuals who were once our closest relatives, allowing archaeologists and anthropologists to recreate and reconstruct their activities throughout the millennia. And if one thing’s for certain from these reconstructions, it’s that the Neanderthals were talented toolmakers. This intriguing species made and manipulated a sophisticated set of ancient tools, including spears, scrapers and ...read more
When love is in the air, what’s happening in the brain? For many years, biologists would answer, “Oxytocin!” This small protein — just nine amino acids long — has sometimes been called “the love hormone” because it has been implicated in pair-bonding, maternal care and other positive, love-like social behaviors. But lately, neuroscientists have been revising their thinking about oxytocin. Experiments with mice and other lab animals suggest that instead of acting as a trigger for ...read more
Most of us won't go through life without the occasional episode of heartburn or acid reflux. And when acid does sting your throat or burn in your chest, you might find yourself wondering just how strong the stuff is. Read More: Stomachache? Your Gut Bacteria Might Be to Blame To find out, let’s turn to the pH scale, which measures how acidic or alkaline (basic) a solution is. The scale ranges from 0 to 14, with anything hovering around a value of 7 — like most drinking water — considered n ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine