Science news this week: A quasi-moon and a lonely spy whale Alexander McNamara published 3 June 23 June 3, 2023: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news over the past few days, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.
Does the giant blob of seaweed headed to Florida really contain 'flesh-eating' bacteria? Kiley Price published 2 June 23 A gargantuan seaweed blob on its way to Florida beaches is filled with plastic and some potentially harmful bacteria, but no "flesh-eating" microbes, as some news reports have suggested.
Stephen Hawking's most famous prediction could mean that everything in the universe is doomed to evaporate, new study says Ben Turner published 2 June 23 A new theory has radically revised Stephen Hawking's 1974 theory of black holes to predict that all objects with mass may eventually disappear.
150-year-old mystery of strange half-circles from Paleolithic site in France finally solved Tom Metcalfe published 2 June 23 Hurling spear-thrower projectiles at pig and deer carcasses revealed that these loops may have been finger grips.
Deadly fungal meningitis outbreak linked to cosmetic procedures in Mexico Nicoletta Lanese published 2 June 23 An outbreak of dangerous fungal infections has been tied to recent cosmetic procedures at specific clinics in Mexico. Health officials urge anyone who underwent such procedures to seek a medical evaluation right away.
Elon Musk's Neuralink 'brain chips' cleared for 1st in-human trials Sarah Moore published 2 June 23 Brain implants developed by Elon Musk's company Neuralink have been approved for human testing. The safety of the devices previously came under scrutiny following reports of "botched surgeries" in animal test subjects.
8 ancient 'zombie viruses' that scientists have pulled from the melting permafrost By Sascha Pare published 1 June 23 Scientists are discovering and resurrecting ancient viruses trapped in permafrost and frozen remains. Here are 8 'zombie' viruses that scientists have pulled from the permafrost.
Listen to the sounds of Pando, the largest living tree in the world By Jennifer Nalewicki published 31 May 23 Researchers are using sound to study Pando, the world's largest tree.
There may be hundreds of millions of habitable planets in the Milky Way, new study suggests By Briley Lewis published 1 June 23 A new analysis of Kepler data shows that one-third of small stars called M dwarfs may have the potential to host life.
Repeated signals from the center of the Milky Way could be aliens saying hello, new study claims By Stephanie Pappas published 1 June 23 A new search for extraterrestrial life has scientists looking inward — toward the center of our galaxy.
2,300-year-old Egyptian mummification workshops found at Saqqara By Owen Jarus published 2 June 23 Archaeologists in Egypt found ancient mummification workshops — one for humans and one for animals — at Saqqara.
Ancient Egypt: History, dynasties, religion and writing By Owen Jarus last updated 2 June 23 Ancient Egypt in North Africa was one of the most powerful and influential civilizations in the region for over 3,000 years.
Save 34% on the RENPHO smart scale, now only $22.94 at Amazon By Lou Mudge published 2 June 23 Deal One of our favorite Garmins, the Garmin Fenix 7x Sapphire Solar, is now $200 off at Amazon.
Watch out for Ozempic copycats containing unauthorized active ingredients, FDA warns By Nicoletta Lanese published 1 June 23 Some compounding pharmacies are using unauthorized active ingredients to make copycat versions of Ozempic and Wegovy.
What is SPF? A guide to understanding sunscreen labels By Anna Gora published 1 June 23 Confused by sunscreen terminology? Here is everything you need to know to understand sunscreen labels.
Quarter-ton marsupial that ambled across Australia 3.5 million years ago was 'unlike anything alive today' By Harry Baker published 1 June 23 The newly described extinct species is closely related to the largest marsupial to ever roam the Earth.
Nearly 6 million-year-old 'elephant graveyard' unearthed in Florida By Kiley Price published 1 June 23 Paleontologists have uncovered a graveyard of ancient elephant relatives.
Suspected Russian spy whale is looking for love in all the wrong places By Harry Baker published 31 May 23 A beluga whale that was discovered wearing a suspicious harness in 2019 is on the move in search of other belugas. But it's heading in the wrong direction.
World War II 'horror bunker' run by infamous Unit 731 discovered in China By Ben Turner published 30 May 23 A bunker discovered near the city of Anda in northeast China is believed to be the largest test site of Imperial Japan's infamous Unit 731, which conducted horrifying human experiments during the 1940s.
What is the 'ship of Theseus' thought experiment? By Meg Duff published 27 May 23 The Greek writer Plutarch proposed this question: If a ship's planks are replaced over time due to wear and tear until none of the original pieces remain, is it still the same ship?
Best zombie movies: viruses, fungi, space radiation & voodoo magic By Fran Ruiz published 26 May 23 Movie Science We're shambling onto your screens to look at the best zombie movies, and the scientific (and not so scientific) inspirations behind them.
Why do magnets have north and south poles? By Laurel Hamers published 30 April 23 Spinning electrons may help explain why magnets have north and south poles.
Dark matter's secret identity could be hiding in distorted 'Einstein rings' By Harry Baker published 27 April 23 Researchers may be a step closer to identifying dark matter after studying unusual cases of gravitational lensing caused by "dark matter halos" surrounding distant galaxies.
World's heaviest Schrödinger's cat made in quantum crystal visible to the naked eye By Ben Turner published 26 April 23 Physicists have placed part of a sapphire crystal into a quantum superposition, making it the heaviest object to show quantum effects, in a new take on Erwin Schrödinger's famous cat experiment.
Scientists discover 1st 'neutron-rich' isotope of uranium since 1979 By Robert Lea published 15 April 23 Scientists have synthesized a previously unknown isotope of uranium, uranium-241, that may start to disappear after just 40 minutes.
Alan Turing's famous mathematical model was right all along, chia seed experiment reveals By Jennifer Nalewicki published 5 April 23 For the first time, scientists using chia seed experiments have confirmed that Alan Turing's mathematical model can explain patterns seen in nature.
Best chemistry sets 2023: amazing at-home chemistry sets for kids and adults By Jake Green last updated 7 December 22 Get the reaction you're looking for with the best chemistry sets for kids and adults.
Science kit deals 2023: Fun & educational STEM sets on offer at Amazon, Target, and more By Kimberley Snaith published 5 April 23 From microscopes to robotic unicorns, we’ve rounded up some of the best science kit deals from around the web.
Best office gadgets and toys 2023: Useful tools and fun toys for your desk By Susan Arendt published 5 April 23 Having the best office gadgets and toys at your disposal transforms your personal space into a luxe working environment.
Best science kits for kids 2023: Fun experiments for children of all ages By Mihaela Bozukova published 5 April 23 Inspire your children to learn about the world with the best science kits for kids.
