3 coronavirus cases identified in long-term care facility in Washington

The U.S. reported its first death from COVID-19, a man in his 50s with underlying health conditions in Washington state, officials said in a news conference today (Feb. 29).

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3ahD486

Why prepare for coronavirus to strike the US? It's your civic duty.

Preparing for the almost inevitable global spread of this coronavirus, now dubbed COVID-19, is one of the most pro-social, altruistic things you can do in response to potential disruptions of this kind.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3aeNzZK

Why do so many cats have white 'socks' on their paws?

Those white socks are there because of genetic mutations and domestication.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3ara3XJ

Can people spread coronavirus after they recover?

Coronavirus may linger in the body for weeks after people recover. But that may actually be a good thing.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/38c5DCa

The Gregorian calendar: Why we have Leap years and April Fools' Day

The Gregorian calendar — used by most of the world — was introduced to fix errors in the Julian calendar mostly having to do with leap years.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2TkoTYY

Northern California finds a second case of coronavirus spread through the community

A second person in California appears to have contracted the new coronavirus through community transmission, according to news reports.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2T8yAed

Freeman Dyson, quantum physicist who imagined alien megastructures, has died at 96

Physicist Freeman Dyson was known for his work on quantum physics and mathematics, as well as his big ideas about the far future.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2I5uYU4

Melting ice in Antarctica reveals new uncharted island

Researchers discovered an uncharted island beneath melting Antarctic ice. Its rocky underbelly could hold clues to the continent's response to climate change.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3cibfhG

12 Coronavirus myths busted by science

There's plenty of nonsense about the coronavirus online. Here are some of the biggest COVID-19 myths out there and the science to explain why they aren't true.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3cfAVLO

Schrödinger's cat: The favorite, misunderstood pet of quantum mechanics

To meow or not to meow?

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2T8kDgo

Live Science podcast "Life's Little Mysteries" special report: Coronavirus

In this special episode of Life's Little Mysteries, we'll give you the latest news and answer frequently asked questions about the new coronavirus and COVID-19.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2TnKZtt

Scientists spot the biggest known explosion in the universe

A gargantuan explosion tore through the heart of a distant galaxy cluster, releasing about five times more energy than the previous record holder, a new study reports.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2T57ULk

How will the coronavirus outbreak end?

As with all past outbreaks, this one will eventually come to an end.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2PvmKs6

'Rusty lump' turns out to be 2,000-year-old silver dagger used by Roman soldier

It's rare to find daggers in Roman graves, as these soldiers weren't buried with weapons.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3cawjGZ

What was the Manhattan Project?

Hundreds of thousands of Americans participated in the Manhattan Project. Most of them had no idea.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3abVas6

Are US communities and hospitals ready to take on COVID-19?

An outbreak of COVID-19 in the U.S. seems inevitable. How will local governments and health care facilities respond?

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/382nfjR

California's latest coronavirus case wasn't tested for several days

A coronavirus patient in Northern California who may be the first in the U.S. to catch the virus from within the community wasn't tested for the virus for several days after arriving at the hospital.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/395P2kZ

Coronavirus resources: US state and local health departments

Here are links to coronavirus pages from U.S. state and local health departments, where you can get practical information for your locale and the spread of COVID-19.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2PvCOKD

Chinese moon rover peers beneath surface of mysterious lunar far side

The first published data from the Yutu 2 rover's ground-penetrating radar instrument reveal the layered structure beneath the gray dirt of Von Kármán Crater's floor.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/32uAJ6Q

A US coronavirus outbreak is almost inevitable. Here's how you can prepare.

The CDC has said we need to prepare for a widespread COVID-19 outbreak. How?

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2T3cTMn

Mysterious, centuries-old rock inscription finally deciphered

For decades, an enigmatic inscription in a rock on a French beach defied translation. But experts finally decoded the puzzling text.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2T6qu5U

Polar bear photos: Stunning shots capture Earth's icons of climate change

On International Polar Bear Day, let's celebrate the largest of the bear species with these magnificent polar bear photos.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2T3UW0r

Northern California reports first case of coronavirus not tied to travel

A case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in a Northern California resident who had no travel history to an affected area and no known contact with a person previously diagnosed with the coronavirus.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2uyEoUJ

Trump announces Pence will be 'coronavirus czar'

President Trump announces that Vice President Pence will take the lead in the government's response to the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2HZFvzT

Possible new 'minimoon' discovered orbiting Earth

Astronomers discovered a 'minimoon' that's been orbiting Earth for about three years, and may soon leave our planet's orbit.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3cbUd4H

Legionnaires' disease: Causes, symptoms and treatment

People typically become infected with Legionnaires' disease by either inhaling tiny droplets of water mist containing Legionella bacteria through the nose or mouth, or swallowing contaminated drinking water.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2T0DDgI

US isn't 'remotely prepared' to test for coronavirus, experts say

The same delay has happened with other new infectious diseases, including Zika.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2T06eCE

What can the coronavirus outbreak teach us about bringing Mars samples back to Earth?

A new virus called SARS-CoV-2 is a coronavirus that has caused an outbreak of a disease called COVID-19. But what does that have to do with Mars?

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2wbUnbF

No nose picking! 15th-century guide taught kids how to mind their manners

The British Library has digitized a 15th-century manners book for children, including advice against nose picking, burping and being too greedy around cheese.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2wJzWTL

Spooky 'blood snow' invades Antarctic island

Blood-red algae is blooming in Antarctica, leading to plains of creepy 'watermelon snow' across Galindez Island.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2v9Ibs6

Eerie seal 'ballet' beneath Antarctic iceberg wins underwater photo prize

In frigid waters near Antarctica, a group of crabeater seals drew an underwater photographer's eye.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3a3XJME

'Mad Mike' wasn't trying to prove 'flat Earth' theory on ill-fated rocket launch

Following the tragic death of 'Mad' Mike Hughes, we revisit the real reasons why he launched himself into the air aboard his homemade steam rocket, knowing how risky the stunt was.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3c8cYGb

Will coronavirus spread in the US? It's not 'if' but 'when,' CDC says

This week, other countries have reported community spread of COVID-19 with no known sources.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2VotTOS

Ancient inscription reveals lost civilization in Turkey that may have defeated King Midas

The lost kingdom was one of the largest settlements to exist in ancient Turkey at the time.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2HWsyqI

Mysterious 'antihydrogen' particles reveal uncanny quantum effect

The bubbling, raucous quantum vacuum distorts the shape of every hydrogen atom in the universe, and it distorts antimatter "antihydrogen" too.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2PpbzkT

Seabird-eating 'monster' crabs are chatty during sex

Enormous and powerful coconut crabs are known for their extreme size. They also have an unexpectedly diverse "vocabulary."

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2PnFs57

'Shocked' scientists find brain parasites in baby lizards still in shells

Scientists found parasitic worms in the brains of lizard embryos. How did they get there?

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/32rvGEn

Billion-year-old green algae is an ancestor of all plants on Earth

A billion years ago, this green seaweed likely produced oxygen and provided shelter for other organisms.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2VkgdEt

A woman's bladder 'brewed' its own alcohol, tripping drug test

Microbes in the woman's bladder were fermenting sugar into alcohol, causing her to test positive on a urine drug test.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2vcf9YJ

It's still too soon to call coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, WHO says

As the number of coronavirus cases reported outside of China continues to climb, the WHO said it's still too soon to declare the outbreak a pandemic.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2Tbn9kF

This parasitic 'blob' is the only known animal that doesn't breathe

A genomic analysis of the creepy parasite H. salminicola reveals that the creature has no mitochondrial DNA and no way to breathe — two animal firsts.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2PlXPYh

46,000-year-old bird, frozen in Siberian permafrost, looks like it 'died a few days ago'

A bird that lived during the last ice age is in "pristine condition."

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2Tc5EAQ

DARPA's hypersonic 'Glide Breaker' could blast missile threats out of the sky

Aerojet Rocketdyne will develop "enabling technologies" for DARPA's Glide Breaker program under a newly announced contract, which is worth up to $19.6 million.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2vWZD35

See record-high temperatures strip Antarctica of huge amounts of ice

Antarctica saw two record-high temperatures set between Feb. 6 and Feb.9, and that took a huge toll on the continent's ice, as seen in NASA images.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/32szx3Z

The universe could possibly have more dimensions. Here's how.

String theory is a purported theory of everything that physicists hope will one day explain … everything.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/32monh1

3,000-year-old Canaanite temple discovered in buried city in Israel

A 3,000-year-old temple, built by the Canaanites around the time of the ancient Israelite invasion, has been unearthed in southern Israel.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/32kC6Fc

Live Science podcast "Life's Little Mysteries" 6: Mysteries of eating and drinking

In this episode of Life's Little Mysteries, we'll take a closer look at some of the mysteries surrounding a couple of things that we do every day — eating and drinking.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3ab8Pjd

'Starter' Earth grew in a flash. Here's how the planet did it.

Proto-Earth was on a fast track to planet formation.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2w3gHEh

'Mad' Mike Hughes dies in rocket crash

Mad Mike Huges has died after crash-landing a homemade rocket Saturday.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2SU88EZ

Is it dangerous to eat right before you swim?

That old adage has since kept countless children on the pool deck, watching forlornly as their friends splash around. But according to science, swimmers have nothing to worry about.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/37VLboZ

Raising the flag on Iwo Jima: Here's the story behind that iconic World War II photo

On Feb. 23, 1945, six Marines raised the U.S. flag over the Japanese island of Iwo Jima. Their photo is one of the most iconic images of World War II.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3c2coJU

Why was whaling so big in the 19th century?

For centuries, we plundered the ocean's depths, hauling up whales by the thousands. But what was the purpose of this dangerous and destructive industry?

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2HKtLkH

Why was whaling so big in the 19th century?

For centuries, we plundered the ocean's depths, hauling up whales by the thousands. But what was the purpose of this dangerous and destructive industry?

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/37PkvX9

Hemophilia: Causes, symptoms & treatment

One of the main risks of this rare blood disorder is internal bleeding into muscles, joints and soft tissue.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/37T8b8t

12 trippy objects hidden in the zodiac

The 12 constellations of the Zodiac contain some of the weirdest, most wonderful objects in the universe. Here are our favorites.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/37MC1Ly

Tomb of Rome's mythical founder Romulus unearthed

A tomb that was buried thousands of years ago and revered by ancient Romans as the resting place of their city's mythical founder Romulus has now been rediscovered beneath the Forum in Rome.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2T5hg8I

Coronavirus-stricken cruise ship passengers returned to US against CDC advice

Fourteen passengers with coronavirus from the cruise ship The Diamond Princess were evacuated to the U.S. against CDC advice.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2SLpFz2

Bones of Neolithic immigrants killed in massacre found in Spanish cave

The bones of nine Neolithic people found in a cave in northern Spain suggest they were killed and then beaten after death, in a massacre that may have been caused by their migration into the region more than 7,000 years ago.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3bQDG6d

Wreckage of lost American WWII planes finally found, in a Pacific lagoon

During a pivotal World War II battle, three U.S. aircraft and their seven crewmen were lost at sea. The planes were recently located in a lagoon in the Pacific Ocean.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2SMoqQb

Dozens of ancient Egyptian graves found with rare clay coffins

These graves didn't contain sarcophagi, but rather clay coffins.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/32fjS81

How your brain waves can predict if an antidepressant will work for you

A new study suggests a better way to match patients with depression to a medication.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2SMT0sR

Prostate cancer: Causes, symptoms & treatment

Prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer in men.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3bSxA5b

'Superspreader' in South Korea infects nearly 40 people with coronavirus

A woman in South Korea gave at least 37 people at her church COVID-19.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2ucymJc

Despite a 'double-barreled' flu season, the vaccine is mostly doing its job

This year's flu shot is working relatively well to prevent influenza, particularly among children.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/39KBHOO

Specialized respirators are key to stopping spread of coronavirus to medical staff

Specialized respirators appear to protect medical staff against COVID-19, but they must be worn to work.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/38PkGTC

New coronavirus may spread through poop

The new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which has now infected nearly 76,000 people, spreads mostly through respiratory droplets and contact with infected patients. But new research suggests that it can also spread through feces.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2vPPNjr

What is global warming?

Global warming is the gradual heating of Earth's surface, oceans and atmosphere.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2uJXHFf

What should we do if a 'planet-killer' asteroid takes aim at Earth?

If a giant object looks like it's going to slam into Earth, humanity has a few options. A new guide could help NASA decide which one is best.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2SLsW1n

Bone walls made of human limbs and skulls discovered under church in Belgium

Almost no children's bones were found in the walls.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2SGuXMa

Duck-billed dinosaur's tail had tumors found in children

Paleontologists found peculiar cavities in the tailbones of a duck-billed dinosaur, suggesting that it suffered from tumors caused by Langerhans cell histiocytosis.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/37KPvaO

World's richest person, Jeff Bezos gives $10 billion to fight climate change

The world's richest man, Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, is starting an organization devoted to battling climate change — and he's putting in $10 billion of his own money to get it off the ground.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/39PiZpn

Coronavirus 'spike' protein just mapped, leading way to vaccine

The coronavirus uses this protein to invade human cells.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2P7PxD6

Coronavirus quarantine ends for some cruise ship passengers, sparking worries over virus spread

Nearly 500 passengers aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship were released on Wednesday. But some experts worry they may not be free of the virus.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/38Gfxgw

How does the new coronavirus compare with the flu?

How does the new coronavirus compare with the seasonal flu, and which should you most worry about?

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2GWvtz5

Bizarre 'ice volcanoes' erupt on Lake Michigan beach

What are 'ice volcanoes,' and why are they erupting in Michigan?

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2HEscok

How ancient microbes could help save coastal cities from rising seas

Coastal cities like New York might be able to survive climate change's rising seas by taking some cues from ancient microbe-built mounds called stromatolites, experimental philosopher Jonathon Keats believes.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/32avEk6

Photos: Squashed skull of 70,000-year-old Neanderthal discovered in cave

Archaeologists found the upper body of a Neanderthal who lived about 70,000 years ago.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2HEpPC8

Neanderthal burial suggests the ancient humans had symbolic thought

These are the most complete articulated Neanderthal remains to be found in more than 25 years.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/39NFivs

Cosmic strings from the Big Bang may have left behind ripples in space-time

A new study may help answer one of the universe's biggest mysteries.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2P45F8r

Florida officials cordon off park for annual snake orgy

Spring is the annual mating season for water snakes in Florida. This year, lakegoers saw so many coiled couples that the state's parks department had to shut down part of the area.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2SBHZL0

Ancient engraving of warrior with 'elaborate hairstyle' and 'pronounced butt' discovered in Scotland

"The warrior is an essential part of society, the central part of power."

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2SBVnii

How long can the new coronavirus last on surfaces?

The answer is unclear. But if the new coronavirus is anything like other coronaviruses, it can last up to 9 days.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2uY31dD

The Battle of Iwo Jima: A gruesome victory for the Allied Forces

Fought on a tiny volcanic island 75 years ago, this brutal clash between American and Japanese forces defined the horror of the Pacific theater.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/38GCJv9

Plague victims in medieval mass grave were arranged with care by 'last chance' hospital's clergy

New analysis of a mass grave in medieval England reveals a bleak glimpse of a community overwhelmed by the Black Death.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/38JXkyU

Neuroscientists discover 'engine of consciousness' hiding in monkeys' brains

No one knows how consciousness works in the brain, but a team of neuroscientists seems to have found an engine that keeps it going.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/37BVoa4

Rare pink manta ray caught courting lady friend Down Under

Photos of a bright pink manta ray have gone viral after the Pepto-Bismol-colored creature was spotted swimming near Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/39H4pjC

Sophisticated Soviet spy radio discovered buried in former forest in Germany

Archaeologists have found a sophisticated Soviet spy radio that was buried in a former forest in Germany shortly before the fall of the Iron Curtain.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2vGH5DW

Ancient game board could be a missing link tied to the Egyptian Book of the Dead

A game board bridges the gap between old and new in ancient Egypt.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2V0oddD

Madagascar's bizarre aye-aye has 6 fingers on each hand, scientists discover

Scientists studying Madagascar's aye-aye just discovered a sixth tiny digit called a pseudothumb on each of its hands.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/32cKNBD

Live Science podcast "Life's Little Mysteries" 5: Mysterious volcanoes

In this episode of Life's Little Mysteries, we'll take a closer look at some explosive mysteries that originate deep inside the Earth — volcanoes.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2wmNXGR

How dark is the cosmic web?

A dark web ties the universe together. Now, we can see it.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2Hxka0A

Why do women have orgasms?

There are a number of ideas about why the female orgasm happens.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/38D0hBg

Getting high on cannabis makes people vulnerable to 'false memories'

Can you trust an eyewitness while they're high, or should you wait until they sober up?

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2u1aeZZ

Can you 'turn off' a nightmare?

With lucid dreaming, people can stop or even control their dreams.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2UVs8bO

Why do people confess to crimes they didn't commit?

People may falsely confess to a crime for any number of reasons, but it disproportionally happens to those who are young or disabled.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2SuRzPD

Flu season is getting weirder

Officials are seeing a new spike in flu activity as a second strain of flu hits on the heels of the first.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3bDgfgl

Blood from cured coronavirus patients could help treat infection

A Chinese company announced that these antibodies helped treat 10 critically ill patients.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2SYdZYT

Antarctica just saw its all-time hottest day ever

A research station off Antarctica's northern tip just reported a new record-high temperature of 69.35 degrees Fahrenheit (20.75 degrees Celsius).

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3bEcdo3

Scientists discover largest bacteria-eating virus. It blurs line between living and nonliving.

Huge bacteria-killing viruses lurk in ecosystems around the world from hot springs to freshwater lakes and rivers.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2SKH9KL

Flu Shot Facts & Side Effects

The seasonal flu shot is a yearly vaccine administered to protect against the flu, or influenza. In the United States, flu shots are recommended for everyone ages 6 months and older.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2vZZ0Ee

NASA's experimental X-59 supersonic jet could be built by the end of 2020

NASA's experimental, supersonic X-plane is on a fast track to flying.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2vBYn4X

Bermuda Triangle theory busted: 1925 ship Cotopaxi found near Florida

Artifacts found by divers at the shipwreck hinted that these are the remains of the SS Cotopaxi.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/31QUOEg

US military's 'Jetson' laser can ID your unique heartbeat hundreds of feet away

Heartbeat-scanning lasers created by the U.S. military can ID your cardiac 'fingerprints' from hundreds of feet away.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/39AzVjm

Heart-warming? More like heart-harming. Here are 5 cardiac parasites ... for Valentine's Day

Some types of parasitic infections can lead to serious heart problems.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2Hk2dCD

Images of new coronavirus just released

New images show a glimpse of the coronavirus that has sickened over 60,000 people and killed another 1,370.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2HnPTB8

Scientists just watched a newfound asteroid zoom by Earth. Then they saw its moon.

One of Earth's premier instruments for studying nearby asteroids is back to work after being rattled by earthquakes. Its first new observations show that a newly discovered space rock is actually two.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/39y2oWV

Coronavirus cruise ship nightmare: Are quarantines the right answer?

Over 3,500 people remain quarantined aboard the cruise ship Diamond Princess, which is docked off the coast of Japan, after passengers tested positive for the new coronavirus.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2OSnMhJ

This is the most violent object in the solar system

New images reveal that one of the strangest asteroids in the solar system is also the most covered in craters, after billions of years plowing through the asteroid belt like a runaway train.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2SHfGth

To find alien life, we should focus on white dwarf stars

As far as we can tell, we're alone. But it could be that we're looking in the wrong places.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2ONAiis

Upside-down jellyfish release venom-filled 'bombs' in their snot

The water surrounding upside-down jellyfish often stings to the touch, and now scientists know why.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2SoiQmZ

Humongous ancient turtle had horned shell for fierce combat

Why did these male turtles have horned shells? Likely to protect their heads during fierce combat, a study finds.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2UNo5y7

Can pregnant mom pass coronavirus to her unborn child? Early research says no.

A preliminary study suggests the new coronavirus may not transmit in the womb.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/37lim5a

Some coronavirus testing kits sent around the world are not working properly

As experts hustled to create diagnostic testing kits for the novel coronavirus, something went awry.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3bzSMwA

Epic battle between 2 subway mice takes people's choice prize at wildlife photography competition

The epic photo 'station squabble,' which shows two mice grappling over a scrap of food, has won the people's choice award for London's Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2SS2SRd

Skin microbes betray your age

Scientists have found that the profile of the microbes on your skin can predict your chronological age to within a few years.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3bD2iiP

The last woolly mammoths on Earth had disastrous DNA

The DNA in the woolly mammoths on Wrangel Island had a number of unfavorable variants.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2SmKell

Hackers could shut down satellites — or turn them into weapons

SpaceX and other companies are rushing to put thousands of small, inexpensive satellites in orbit, but pressure to keep costs low and a lack of regulation leave those satellites vulnerable to hackers.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2HklmEy

800-year-old spiral rock carvings marked the solstices for Native Americans

The Pueblo people created rock carvings in the Mesa Verde region of the Southwest United States about 800 years ago to mark the position of the sun on the longest and shortest days of the year.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2Skt0Fb

Iran satellite launch fails to reach orbit

Iran launched a communications satellite called Zafar 1 atop a Simorgh rocket at 10:45 a.m. EST Sunday (Feb. 9). But the spacecraft didn't make it all the way to orbit.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/31Lf2z4

Can the new coronavirus spread through building pipes?

Two residents of a Hong Kong apartment building have fallen ill with the new coronavirus even though they live on different floors.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2SjFsoA

Saturn's weird, Earth-like moon just failed a key test for alien life

Life on Earth likely began with the bubble-like membranes that surround our cells. Similar membranes probably wouldn't form on Titan, according to quantum mechanics.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2OMJxPZ

Read an excerpt from 'The Falcon Thief'

Over decades, a brazen thief stole hundreds of eggs from rare and endangered falcons' nests around the world, to sell to private collectors.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/31LvW0q

'The Falcon Thief' exposes the high-flying life of a notorious rare-bird smuggler

Wild falcons are highly prized by private collectors, who pay tens of thousands of dollars for the rare birds.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/38mbCp1

Ancient 'outlaw temple' discovered in Israel

According to the Jewish Bible, there was just one temple in the ancient Kingdom of Judah: the First Temple, which sat in Jerusalem. However, a new discovery just upended that perception.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2HfNCYJ

This bizarre virus has genes never seen before in any life-form

Almost everything about this virus is unique.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2Sixc8j

2 Russian satellites are stalking a US spysat in orbit. The Space Force is watching.

A U.S. satellite that's used to spy on other countries is being trailed by two Russian satellites, according to the commander of the U.S. Space Force.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3bx6Ab4

One of Antarctica's fastest-shrinking glaciers just lost an iceberg twice the size of Washington, D.C.

A huge chunk of ice twice the size of Washington, D.C., just broke off of Antarctica's Pine Island glacier, continuing a troubling trend that could signify glacial collapse.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3bx6GiW

New pattern uncovered in mysterious 'fast radio bursts' from deep space

For the first time, astrophysicists have detected a pattern in fast radio bursts, one of the most mysterious phenomena in the universe.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/38tWuGp

The lost continent of Zealandia hides clues to the Ring of Fire's birth

The lost continent of Zealandia underwent changes as subduction began around the western Pacific.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/37mWTZT

Satellite 'license plates' and re-igniting rocket fuel could head off space junk crashes

In low Earth orbit's growing "space junkyard," new technologies could reduce the risk of collisions.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3bsXlca

UK 'superspreader' may have passed coronavirus to nearly a dozen people in 3 countries

A British man who contracted the new coronavirus on a business trip appears to have spread the virus to 11 other people.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2SdXqJ2

Single lightning strike kills 4 endangered mountain gorillas

Lightning strikes kill wild animals relatively often, but the deaths of four rare gorillas represent a huge loss for the species.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2uqgqv2

'Reaper of death,' newfound cousin of T. rex, discovered in Canada

This fearsome carnivore lived 12 million years before its cousin Tyrannosaurus rex.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2vYfKx5

28 Devastating Infectious Diseases

Contagious diseases have shaped human history and they remain with us. Here's a look at some of the worst, from ebola and dengue to the more recent coronavirus and Zika virus.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2sfY7ow

Devastating solar storms could be far more common than we thought

Solar super-storms capable of damaging electric grids and satellite networks may be much more common than previously thought, a study of Earth's oldest geomagnetic index suggests.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3bnv9Y1

Why are children 'missing' from coronavirus outbreak cases?

Adults, even healthy young adults, are felled by the new coronavirus 2019-nCoV much more readily than children. Here's why.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2vmA3ny

Live Science podcast "Life's Little Mysteries" 4: Mysterious dogs

In today's episode of Life's Little Mysteries, we'll take a closer look at some of the mysteries surrounding one of our closest animal companions: dogs.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3bsXP1J

What if Earth were a super-Earth?

What would happen if our Earth were much larger than it is now?

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2OESA5j

5 reasons hyenas like Harley Quinn's 'Bruce' are amazing

Harley Quinn has a hyena friend in the movie "Birds of Prey," but even without supervillain sidekicks, hyenas are super-awesome.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2vUtb10

What's the difference between race and ethnicity?

If someone asked you to describe your identity to them, where would you begin? Would it come down to your skin color or your nationality? What about the language you speak, your religion, your cultural traditions or your family's ancestry?

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2uxOPI2

What's the difference between race and ethnicity?

If someone asked you to describe your identity to them, where would you begin? Would it come down to your skin color or your nationality? What about the language you speak, your religion, your cultural traditions or your family's ancestry?

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2tJqVJq

The Most Interesting Science News Articles of the Week

Here are the most interesting, amazing and unusual things that happened in the world of science this week. A recap of Live Science's best.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2t63fc5

Stolen painting reappears after 23 years, in the same gallery where it was taken

A famous painting by Gustav Klimt that went missing 23 years ago turned up in the walls of the gallery from which it appears it was stolen from. No one knows who took it.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2uhwQWt

What is a coronavirus?

SARS, MERS and the common cold are all types of coronaviruses.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/31yKv7u

1,200-year-old 'gumdrop' might have belonged to elite gamer at UK monastery

Whoever owned this piece was undoubtedly elite.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2OzdgvO

Megalodon: Facts about the long-gone, giant shark

Megalodon was the largest shark and one of the largest fish on record. It went extinct about 2.6 million years ago.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2MRzLsM

Amazing Images: The Best Science Photos of the Week

Here are the stories behind the most amazing images in the world of science this week. A recap of the coolest photos featured on Live Science.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2sNEmCE

Satellite spies gigantic 'fuzzball' clouds spreading near Australia coast

Satellite passing overhead can see an entirely different canvas of clouds.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/31yjVLM

Trial begins for archaeologist accused of forging earliest portrayal of Jesus' crucifixion

A criminal trial has begun of an archaeologist accused of forging a trove of Roman artifacts that allegedly show a third-century depiction of Jesus' crucifixion, Egyptian hieroglyphics and the early use of the Basque language.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/38cjoBG

Why are these sharks doing the 'pipi' dance?

A group of sharks writhing in shallow water may have looked like they were beached, but they weren't injured or in distress.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2vhO0TJ

Pluto's famous heart powers icy winds on the dwarf planet

Pluto's heart-shaped feature, which NASA's New Horizons spacecraft discovered during its epic July 2015 flyby of Pluto, drives atmospheric circulation on the dwarf planet, a new study suggests.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2H5Hmmp

Rosetta's 'rubber ducky' comet changed color as it neared the sun. Here's why.

As Rosetta's comet got near enough to the sun for frost to evaporate off its surface, a color-changing water and dust cycle began that shuffled its colors around.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3bhBLqV

Men who took erectile-dysfunction drug had blue-tinted vision for days. Here's why.

Some men in a recent study had persistent, blue-tinted vision after taking sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2vgqdU8

Why is Jerusalem important? A Q&A with historian and author Simon Sebag Montefiore

Jerusalem is the epicenter of several of the world's major religions, but its importance is much more than just spiritual.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3bgYYJH

Fearsome Triassic 'ocean lizard' was a tweezer-nosed weirdo

A newfound species of thalattosaur, a Triassic marine reptile, had a dramatically pointy skull unlike any seen in reptiles alive today.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/388copI

Hidden baby Jesus revealed under Leonardo da Vinci’s 'Virgin of the Rocks'

Baby Jesus and his wings are just some of the images hidden beneath da Vinci's "Virgin of the Rocks".

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/388ZFmo

Ocean currents are getting faster

The change is driven by global warming and wind.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/31xbxfv

Here's how to read election news like a scientist

Political coverage often involves the same sort of data and methods scientists use in their own research. But it's important to know how to read them.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2tyHozW

12th US case of coronavirus reported in Wisconsin

A person in Wisconsin has tested positive for the new coronavirus, 2019-nCoV, marking the first case in the state and the 12th case in the U.S.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2Usom9u

This month on the forums: Celebration Days, AMAs and Giveaways!

Create an expedition team or let us know about your favorite discovery and Live Science has a gift for you. Or if you have questions about the coronavirus outbreak, join us for a Live AMA this week.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3705qBB

A 'normal' resting heart rate may not be so normal after all

A new study finds that resting heart rate can vary between individuals by up to 70 beats per minute, calling into question how physicians use one of the most fundamental vital signs.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2Somw6L

Anemia: Causes, symptoms and treatment

Anemia is a common condition that may be caused by a shortage of iron, abnormal bleeding, infections, cancer or gastrointestinal problems.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2vTfek5

9,900-year-old skeleton of horribly disfigured woman found in Mexican cave

This woman, whose remains were found in an underwater cave in Mexico, lived about 9,900 years ago, just as the last ice age was ending.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/38dW5HC

Jackass penguins have a jackass language not so different from English

The braying songs of African 'jackass' penguins follow two extremely common rules of human language, a new study confirms.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2S3qGlL

4 more planes filled with US citizens fly back from Wuhan

These passengers will also be quarantined for 14 days.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2H9TiUl

What is ocean acidification?

The global increase in carbon dioxide emissions is not only warming our planet at an alarming rate, but it's also making our oceans more acidic.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/31uNa2a

Live Science podcast "Life's Little Mysteries" 3: Mysterious cats

In today's episode of Life's Little Mysteries, we'll take a closer look at one of the most puzzling animals on our planet, and one that you may share your home with: cats.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/377fvNm

Trump touts Space Force in State of the Union address

Space got a couple of shout-outs in President Trump's State of the Union address last night (Feb. 4).

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2tvzQ0P

A super-rare 'Zee burst' in Antarctica could one day unlock a key mystery of ghostly neutrinos

Watch out for the Zee burst!

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2RYAxt5

Arctic sinkholes open in a flash after permafrost melt

Arctic permafrost is thawing, and some zones are melting so quickly that the new landscape becomes a soggy marsh riddled with sinkholes.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/31rScwp

How does the new coronavirus compare with the flu?

How does the new coronavirus compare with the seasonal flu, and which should you most worry about?

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2GWvtz5

What's causing mysterious 'ice rings' to form in the world's deepest lake?

Eddies under the ice appear to be causing these mysterious rings on Lake Baikal.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2H8G2PP

Two invisible stars are bending space-time deep in the Milky Way

Astronomers uncovered a pair of invisible stars creating ripples in space-time, a phenomenon known as gravitational lensing.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/372a2XO

Seal caught clapping underwater … and scientists flip out

Unique footage of a gray seal clapping underwater reveals a new way the animals communicate underwater … and is super cute.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2tsB78T

Photons could reveal 'massive gravity,' new theory suggests

This is a radical new design compared to the world's most sensitive gravitational wave detectors.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2Urs9Ee

Will airport screenings be enough to stop coronavirus in the US?

Probably not, but they may slow down the new virus.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2Os3QSO

Woman grows 'eyelash-like' hairs in her mouth

A woman in Italy had an extremely rare condition in which she grew eyelash-like hairs in her mouth.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/39dzgnT

British 'X-Files' of UFO sightings is going public

The U.K.'s Ministry of Defense announced that it will soon release formerly classified government files about UFO encounters.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/3bc0Sva

Electrical 'storms' and 'flash floods' drown the brain after a stroke

Strokes cause brain cells to short-circuit and trigger a dangerous flood of fluid in the tissue.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/381IHq8

Oddball sexaquark particles could be immortal, if they exist at all

These supremely stable particles could explain dark matter.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2RWRRP6

'Vampire' star sparks brilliant 'super-outburst' while gorging on its neighbor

This rare finding was made by "accident," according to the research team that found the super-outburst.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2GPzk0C

Stopping the spread of coronavirus: Quarantines go back thousands of years

The recent global spread of a deadly coronavirus originating in Wuhan, China, has led world leaders to invoke an ancient tradition to control the spread of illness: quarantine.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/395dGSq

Mystery deepens over 42 oddly buried skeletons found on UK farm

Skeletal remains of 42 people were recently unearthed at a farm in December 2019, but the construction company that found the bodies has yet to release a report.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2SccndC

Treasure hunters search for fabled gold on Philippines island. Hoard may not even exist.

Excavations by treasure hunters searching for a hoard of gold in the Philippines, said to have been hidden by a Japanese World War II general, are threatening to cause landslides in a remote village.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2u6w8eC

Pliny the Elder died in the Mount Vesuvius eruption of A.D. 79. Is this his skull?

These bones were found in the early 1900s near Pompeii, but it wasn't until now that they were assessed with modern science.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2GO33ae

Super Bowl 2020: All the space-themed commercials

This year's Super Bowl commercials promise to be out of this world.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/31qLl6s

How Accurate Are Punxsutawney Phil's Groundhog Day Forecasts?

As legend goes, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow on Groundhog Day, you should expect six more weeks of winter; if he doesn't, plan for spring. Life's Little Mysteries investigates the accuracy of Phil's predictions.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/395AKAt

Punxsutawney Phil Says 'Early Spring.' Here's What Actual Weather Forecasters Say.

The acclaimed and furry weather prognosticator failed to see his shadow. Is spring really around the corner?

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/2FDmHDz

Can wearing a face mask protect you from the new coronavirus?

Only an N95 respirator mask can help.

via Livescience.com https://ift.tt/38ZwT82