Scientists reveal why you yawn even when you’re not tired. Image credit – Gemini Yawning is among the most common human behaviours. Often associated with fatigue or boredom, this habit, however, triggers a hidden brain process. Scientists have long believed it plays a biological role.A recent study published in Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology, however, found…
In 1909, Charles Doolittle Walcott (first from left) discovered the Burgess Shale formation in British Columbia, revealing exceptionally preserved soft-bodied ancient life. Image Credits: via Wikimedia Commons Imagine the last day of your mountain trip, the sun setting, the packs packed, your thoughts turning to your journey home. It was at such a time that…
A 170-year-old shipwreck, discovered not by experts, but by an 8-year-old with a metal detector.Image Credits: Google Gemini It began as a regular day at the beach near Goderich, Ontario and ended with one of the most shocking maritime discoveries in recent memory, and the person who started it was in the third grade.In 2023,…
Scientists involved in planetary formation studies, meteorites, and early solar system investigations have been wondering about the origins of the ingredients that made up the planet Earth. Studies on carbonaceous chondrites, isotopic compositions, and planetary accretion have shown that the elements needed for life on Earth, such as carbon, water, and volatiles, could have come…
German researchers at Friedrich-Alexander-Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg and University Hospital Erlangen have shown that adult mouse hippocampal tissue can be cryopreserved using vitrification, cooled to liquid nitrogen temperature, and later rewarmed with key functions intact. In the study, the tissue regained electrical activity and synaptic communication after thawing. The work marks an important step in cryobiology, but…
Charles Lieber is one of the best-known names in nanoscience, but his career took a dramatic turn after a federal conviction in the United States. Once a leading Harvard chemistry professor, Lieber was convicted in 2021 of making false statements to federal authorities and tax-related offences tied to payments from China. Today, he is back…
A single particle over Utah pointed to a cosmic ray with no clear origin. Image credit – Gemini One of the strongest cosmic rays in history was detected in May of 2021 in Utah. Amaterasu hit Earth’s atmosphere and caused a big shower of secondary particles. By 2023, scientists had determined that it was the…
In 1971, historian Alexander McKee led a dive that uncovered the remains of the Tudor ship, the Mary Rose, buried in Solent mud. This remarkable find, preserved for centuries, yielded thousands of artifacts offering insights into 16th-century life. Image Credit: Mary Rose Trust, via Wikimedia Commons History is not just neatly stored in books lined…
After a grueling 16-year quest, Mel Fisher’s relentless pursuit culminated in the monumental 1985 discovery of the Spanish galleon Atocha. Beneath the Florida Keys’ treacherous waters, his team unearthed a “silver reef” of immense value, estimated at $400 million. “Today is the day.” Sixteen years, to be precise, Mel Fisher woke up hearing those exact…
Dreams can feel chaotic, vivid or strangely disconnected from reality, yet new research suggests they are far from random. A study from the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca shows that dreams are shaped by a mix of personal traits, daily experiences and broader life events. Instead of simply replaying what happens during the day,…
Divers found an unidentified vessel some 300 feet below the surface, its masts still standing and cabin intact, untouched for nearly two centuries. Image Credits: Google Gemini It started with a blip on a screen.In 2017, a fibre-optic cable survey team working in Lake Ontario spotted something strange: a large, unexplained shape sitting on the…
Africa may show us first what happens when a continent splits in two. Image credit – Gemini Africa appears to be relatively stable geologically. However, many forces are at play underneath the surface of the continent, resulting in its break-up. And scientists claim this is proceeding faster than expected. In millions of years, this process…
