In the 1980s, cosmonaut Vladimir Shatalov was given a couple of crocodiles by Fidel Castro. The pair (named Castro and Hilly) spent time in Moscow before ending up at Stockholm’s Skansen Zoo. This week, ten young descendants of the original crocs returned to Cuba, where they’ll be released back into the wild. … [Read more...]
Carbon Nanotubes Were An Ancient Superweapon
There’s a reason why we call it the “march of progress” instead of the “moonwalk of progress.” Technology is meant to move steadily forward, but there are still plenty of times when tech has inexplicably reversed course on us. One of the most striking examples are Damascus swords. … [Read more...]
This Is What The Aurorae Look Like On Mars
The aurorae here on Earth are a pretty impressive sight to behold, but, just like Earth, it turns out that Mars also has aurorae visible to the naked eye — with one pretty startling difference. … [Read more...]
New Horizon’s Latest Pluto Pics Reveal A Complex And Varied Surface
NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft has traveled 20 million miles (32 million kilometers) since it last beamed back images of Pluto. The latest set of photos hint at a complicated and high-contrast surface — including more evidence in support of the theory that the dwarf planet features a bright polar cap. … [Read more...]
Heard That Humans Can Smell 10,000 Odors? Here’s Why You Heard That.
If you poke around online, you’ll find someone claiming authoritatively that humans can distinguish 10,000 odors. Unfortunately, that’s not true. It’s based on an experiment from the 1920s, that tried — and failed — to quantify smell. But here’s how it became a pop fact. … [Read more...]
Why Are Human Eggs So Huge?
Your mom helped you get through one of the most dangerous times of your life – the first few days after fertilization. She did it without even thinking about it, by stuffing the egg that helped make you full of everything you needed for those first few cell divisions. You think I’m exaggerating? I’m not. … [Read more...]
Astronaut Celebrates Towel Day By Showing Many Uses Of Towels On The ISS
Yesterday was Towel Day, a day for celebrating the works of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy author Douglas Adams. Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti apparently agrees with Adams about the supreme usefulness of a towel, and demonstrates how astronauts use them aboard the International Space Station. … [Read more...]