While exploring the White Mountains, or Lefka Ori, in the western part of the Greek island of Crete, researchers came across a striking moth that looked distinctive enough to warrant closer study. The species was later described as Pyralis papaleonei, named after Pope Leo XIV. The naming choice was intended to carry both scientific and…
While staying at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo during a lecture tour, Albert Einstein found himself in an awkward situation. A hotel bellboy had delivered a message to his room, but the physicist realised he had no cash to leave as a tip. Instead of apologising and sending the worker away empty-handed, Einstein picked up…
For centuries, humans have tried to imagine how the rest of the animal kingdom sees the world, but we have always been limited by the three-colour palette of our own eyes. While we can take still photographs that mimic these perspectives, capturing the world in motion has remained a technical hurdle. Unlike traditional filming methods,…
We usually discard plastic waste as it reaches its end-of-life for common people, but a research team at the University of Adelaide has made a major discovery that’s changing how the world deals with plastic waste. By harnessing solar energy, they’ve found a way to convert waste into valuable green hydrogen. This involves photocatalytic reforming,…
A recent documentary and interviews are re-circulating a pioneering astronaut, widely recognised for his role in the early development of private spaceflight, who reportedly described an unusual and deeply unsettling experience that took place not in orbit, but inside his own bedroom. What makes the account even more striking is the timing. Just days after…
What your messy mix of capital letters could reveal about your mind? Image credit – Gemini Have you ever written a word randomly mixing capitalised letters without realising it initially? Such a minor quirk is actually quite common among people. According to psychologists and graphologists, such a behaviour can indicate one’s emotions, personality, or stress…
A groundbreaking study by the Kimberlite Research Group at the University of Cape Town has pinpointed where the world’s most precious diamonds originate. Standard diamonds form within Earth’s lithospheric plates. However, ‘CLIPPIR’ gems – those similar to Cullinan diamonds in size and purity – emerge from much greater depths. As noted in China.org, Associate Professor…
For decades, scientists have debated whether the earliest humans survived mainly by hunting animals or scavenging carcasses left behind by predators. Now, a new study of 1.6 million-year-old fossils from Kenya suggests the answer may be far more complex. Researchers analysing ancient animal bones, stone tool marks and hominin remains from the Koobi Fora Formation…
Scientists have discovered ancient DNA, some dating back two million years. This DNA, found in Siberian permafrost and Greenland ice, offers a glimpse into Earth’s past. There is something quite magical about the idea of the time capsule. We imagine metallic containers buried underground in school yards full of letters and old coins. However, nature…
The USS Samuel B. Roberts, discovered in 2022 at a depth of seven kilometers, is the deepest shipwreck ever found. Extreme pressure and cold in the Hadal Zone significantly slow down decay, preserving the ship. Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons The exact location of the USS Samuel B. Roberts, or “Sammy B,” was a point of…