Archaeopteryx lived about 150 million years ago during the Jurassic Period. Although the first Archaeopteryx fossil was discovered more than 160 years ago and the prehistoric bird has been well studied, an excellent specimen has yielded new information about the species, including why it could fly so well, according to a report in the journal Nature. Painstaking preparation made the “Chicago Archaeopteryx” (named because it resides in the city’s Field Museum) the best-preserved example of ...read more
Earth has been home to life for billions of years, but could the planet itself be considered a living thing? Most people simply think of Earth as a giant rock — one with the perfect conditions to nurture life as we know it today, from animals and plants to microscopic bacteria. But English environmental scientist James Lovelock thought differently. Departing from traditional scholarly views, Lovelock collaborated with American evolutionary biologist Lynn Margulis in the 1970s to develop a new ...read more
Using advanced medical algorithms, researchers have identified six breast texture patterns that may indicate a high risk for breast cancer. In a new study, one of the largest of its kind, published in the journal Radiology, a research team analyzed the mammograms of over 30,000 women and condensed the information down into six phenotypes. With this new information, the research team hopes to improve breast cancer screening and prevention. Breast Tissue PatternsFull-field digital mammography ( ...read more
In 2022, archeologists unearthed what appeared to be the oldest intact reed boat. It was found buried in a sediment-filled former channel of the Euphrates River, near the ancient city of Uruk, in the Mesopotamian floodplain of what is now Iraq.“The findings provide valuable insights into the utilization of Uruk's waterways, the evolution of its floodplain, and the broader processes that shaped early urbanization in Mesopotamia,” according to the conference paper.Analyzing the Ancient BoatAlt ...read more
Underneath miles-deep ice sheets covering Antarctica lies the largest mountain range no one on Earth has ever seen. Even though a few of its tallest points peek through in some places, relatively few people know of the entire range’s existence.However, geologists studying it have long argued about how and when these buried peaks were formed. A team of geologists propose a new explanation in an article in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters.“The ice conceals some of Earth’s most ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine