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Genes Show Ancient Humans First Got Herpes from Chimps
Our closest genetic relatives are beginning to look a lot more like us all the time. Some primate researchers have recently claimed that chimpanzees have been more or less in the chimp equivalent of the human Stone Age for possibly hundreds of years. Chimps can use tools, exist in complex social groups, and have even recently been observed performing what … Continue reading
In Our Search for Animal Consciousness We See Reflections of Ourselves
Who knows what Arturo the polar bear was thinking as he paced back and forth in the dark, air-conditioned chamber behind his artificial grotto? Just down the pathway Cecilia sat quietly in her cage, contemplating whatever chimpanzees contemplate. In recent years, both creatures, inhabitants of the Mendoza Zoological Park in Argentina, have been targets of an international campaign challenging the … Continue reading
This is How Time Travel IS Possible
For centuries, scientists, philosophers and the public have been exploring the possibility of time travel. A greater understanding of physics and the laws of the universe have allowed scientists to virtually reach the conclusion that time travel backwards is not realistic, but travelling forward could be a reality. Albert Einstein first proposed the idea that travelling at the speed of … Continue reading
The Frankenstein of Giant Viruses Found in Sewage Plant
New giant viruses found at an Austrian wastewater treatment plant probably evolved from a smaller virus that picked up bits of genome from its hosts and incorporated it, Frankenstein-like, into its own genetic code. The viruses — four species in a new group dubbed the Klosneuviruses — are a type of Mimivirus. The giant viruses in the Mimivirus group were … Continue reading
Thyroid Cancer Rates Triple, Scientists Look for the Cause
Thyroid cancer rates are rising faster than any other cancer in the United States, a new study found: Between 1975 and 2013, the number of thyroid cancer cases diagnosed yearly more than tripled. The numbers have prompted many epidemiologists to caution in recent years that the increase in cases is really just a matter of doctors catching more cases. This … Continue reading
Science Breakthrough: New Sieve Could Make Seawater Drinkable, Potentially Benefiting Millions
The graphene sieve may be one of the most important inventions in years. Scientists have come up with a new type of sieve that could bring clean drinking water to millions. Developed by a team at the University of Manchester, the sieve is made from graphene – a ‘wonder material’ that is 200 times stronger than steel and can conduct … Continue reading
Man ‘Marries’ ‘Female Robot’ Because He Was Unable to Find a Human Wife
Just when you thought you have seen and heard everything, a Chinese engineer – who didn’t seem too optimistic and decided to give up on finding love for himself – married a robot he created. Now, while we live among despondent people who give up on the search for love just because they didn’t find anybody, this man sets a … Continue reading
MERS Coronavirus Returns in Saudi Arabia Hospital; 10 Infected
Ten people have caught the MERS coronavirus after an outbreak in a haemodialysis unit in a hospital in Saudi Arabia, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday, without giving details of how the virus was able to spread within the hospital. The potentially fatal Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is thought to be carried by camels and comes from the … Continue reading
If the Asteroid Doesn’t Kill You, Its Winds Will
When the big asteroid hits, will you breath a sigh of relief when you see on the news that it missed your city? Don’t. A new study found that the bite of an asteroid impact does less damage that the bark of the wind created when it hits the Earth’s atmosphere, even if it breaks up and never actually craters … Continue reading
Zika Mosquitos Present in 129 California Cities, Health Agency Issues Warning
The mosquitos that can carry the Zika virus have reportedly appeared in 129 California cities. With cold winter weather the only major obstacle to the Zika virus becoming America’s first pandemic since the 1957 Asian Flu, ground zero for a potential pandemic is now the West Coast. The California Department of Public Health released an emergency warning on March 31 … Continue reading
