Celebrate The 50th Anniversary Of Earth Day Without Leaving HomeEarth Day, which is celebrated annually on April 22, is usually commemorated with outdoor activities demonstrating support for environmental protection. These include planting trees, collecting roadside or beach trash, and conducting, or participating in, recycling and conservation programs....
اقرأ المقال99-Year-Old WWII Veteran's "Walkathon" Is Helping Raise Millions For Coronavirus First RespondersWhen 99-year-old Tom Moore announced a "walkathon" to help Britain's National Health Service (NHS) staff, he was hoping to collect a modest £1,000 ($1,250). Instead, the World War II veteran has managed to raise millions from donors worldwide in less than two weeks, and the money is still pouring in at unprecedented rates....
اقرأ المقالRare Homo Naledi Juvenile Fossils Provide Clues Into How Early Humans AgedOver the years, paleontologists have been able to uncover many mysteries about human ancestors from unearthed skeletal remains. However, not much is known about their development and growth. because most hominin fossils are those of adults, and remains of developmentally young hominins are uncommon. Now, a perfectly-preserved partial skeleton of a Homo Naledi juvenile, who lived on Earth between 335,000 and 226,000 years ago, is providing insights into how our ancient relatives may have aged....
اقرأ المقالThis Scorching Exoplanet Experiences A Steady Pelting Of Iron Rain!The search for an Earth-like planet that can support life has led to the discovery of many strange worlds, including one with two suns, a lava land, and a shimmering "sapphire" planet. However, none are as extreme or as bizarre as WASP-76b, which boasts 4,352-degree Fahrenheit (2,400-degree Celsius) temperatures, wind gusts of over 10,000 mph, and a steady pelting of iron rain!...
اقرأ المقالRobots Help Japanese Students "Attend" Graduation CeremonyJapan has always been at the forefront of robotic technology. Over the years, the androids have been deployed to work in banks, run hotels, and even serve as personal assistants to the elderly. Now, in what is being hailed as an "industry first," a Tokyo university has used avatar robots to enable students to "attend" their graduation ceremony without leaving home....
اقرأ المقالAustralian Scientists Discover Massive Deep Sea Predator That Looks Like Silly StringOn March 16, 2020, researchers aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute's ship Falkor stumbled upon a beautiful *giant* Apolemia, a type of siphonophore, in the Indian Ocean off western Australia. The scientists are not sure of the exact length of the silly string-like creature, which was found in the Ningaloo Canyons at a depth of 2,070 feet (631 meters). However, based on the measurement of its outer ring by a laser-equipped drone, they estimate it was 150 feet (46 meters) long....
اقرأ المقالBacteria Found In Ancient Ocean Rocks Provide Clues For Life On MarsThe orbital spacecrafts, landers, and rovers sent to Mars under NASA's Mars Exploration Program (MEP) have provided invaluable insights into the red planet's topography, climate, and natural resources. However, finding any evidence of life has proved elusive. Now, the discovery of microbial growth found inside ancient, cold oceanic crust in the middle of the South Pacific is giving scientists hope that the proof may already be with us — we just need to know where to look!...
اقرأ المقالNASA's X-57 Maxwell Plane Designed To Pave The Way For Future All-Electric AircraftNASA's X-plane program, established in 1946 to test and evaluate new technologies and aerodynamic concepts, began with the launch of the X-1 — the first plane to break the sound barrier. Since then, the endeavor has led to numerous industry breakthroughs, including the first supersonic and hypersonic flights, and the first crewed suborbital flight....
اقرأ المقالCelebrating Easter Amid COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions And LockdownsEaster, which will be celebrated on April 12, 2020, is one of the most important holidays in the Christian religion. The springtime holiday, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, is usually observed with special worship services, family gatherings, and community-hosted egg hunts....
اقرأ المقالThe Pyramid Of Djoser, Egypt's Oldest Pyramid, Restored To Its Former GloryAfter an extensive 14-year, $6.6 million restoration, Egypt's oldest pyramid was reopened to the public on March 5, 2020. Located in the Saqqara necropolis, northwest of the city of Memphis, the Pyramid of Djoser was built 4,700 years ago as a tomb for Pharaoh Djoser, the first king of the 3rd dynasty (2650–2575 BCE). The massive pyramidal funerary complex was neglected for centuries and almost on the verge of collapse before Egyptian officials finally decided to take action in 2006 and bring it back to its former glory....
اقرأ المقالApril's Super "Pink" Moon Will Be This Year's Biggest And Brightest Full Moon!On April 7, 2020, the skies will be lit up with a Super "Pink" Moon — the brightest and biggest full moon we will encounter all year! Though Earth's natural satellite promises to be spectacular, that night, those hoping for a pink hue will be disappointed. April's full moon gets its name from pink wildflowers called phlox that bloom in early spring. Though the moniker is misleading, it is undoubtedly better than the alternative nicknames, which include sprouting grass moon, fish moon, and hare moon!...
اقرأ المقالUS Lawmakers Pass $2.2 Trillion Relief Bill To Help Blunt The Economic Impact Of COVID-19 ShutdownsWith over three-quarters of the country under mandatory shutdown orders, and more joining daily, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced hundreds of businesses to shutter and led to widespread layoffs. To mitigate the coronavirus outbreak's economic impact, US lawmakers have passed a $2.2 trillion emergency relief bill, the largest economic rescue package in the nation's history....
اقرأ المقالWednesday Is April Fools' Day!Looking for a fun idea to pass time during this COVID-19 pandemic hiatus? Then you will be thrilled to know that Wednesday is April Fools' Day, which means that you can play a light-hearted prank, or two, without getting into trouble!...
اقرأ المقالDrones That Can Play Dodgeball? Sweet!Drones have come a long way since their first iteration, which was unsteerable and lifted a mere two feet off the ground during its first flight, was unveiled by French inventor brothers Jacques and Louis Bréguet in 1907. Modern-day quadcopters can be programmed to fly autonomously at high altitudes for long distances, swim underwater, and now, thanks to some University of Zurich researchers, even play dodgeball!...
اقرأ المقالAnimals Frolic In The Absence Of HumansThe COVID-19 pandemic has changed life as we knew it just a few weeks ago. Millions of people worldwide are now under mandatory or voluntary lockdowns. All public attractions, including museums and aquariums, are shuttered, and the usually crowded streets of popular tourist destinations are desolate. An unanticipated silver lining during these challenging times for humans is that many of the Earth's other inhabitants are finally getting a chance to leave their normal habitats and roam freely....
اقرأ المقالThe World's Smallest-Known Dinosaur Measured Less Than 2.25 Inches!Over the years, researchers have unearthed fossils of many of the estimated 2,468 dinosaur species that roamed Earth during the Mesozoic era, which spanned from between 252 million years ago to about 66 million years ago. However, few can compare to the discovery of Oculudentavis khaungraae, the smallest dinosaur ever known to live on the planet....
اقرأ المقالRandom Acts of Kindness Bring Joy During Coronavirus OutbreakWith schools and businesses closed and many cities and towns under mandatory shelter-in-place orders, the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, has drastically changed lives globally within a matter of weeks. To bring joy, optimism, and strength during this difficult period, people and organizations worldwide are performing random acts of kindness for total strangers. Here are a few heartwarming deeds that will bring a smile to your face during these unprecedented times....
اقرأ المقالThe Aptly-Named Tailorbirds Are Extraordinary SeamstressesFor most birds, nest-building entails creating a bowl-shaped receptacle of twigs and dry leaves. However, don't tell that to the common tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius). The tiny birds, found in urban gardens across tropical ecosystems worldwide, go through extraordinary lengths to sew together a comfortable and safe home for their offspring....
اقرأ المقالWorld's Largest Signature Is Useful For Analyzing NASA's Satellite ImageryTexas, the biggest of the contiguous US states, prides itself on being larger than life. Everything, from hairstyles to boot heels to food portions to mascots to convenience stores (the largest one boasts 80 soda fountains), is exaggerated. Hence, it should come as no surprise that the Lone Star State is also home to the largest signature on Earth....
اقرأ المقالLet's Go Green: It's Saint Patrick's Day!Saint Patrick's Day, which is celebrated annually on March 17, is a global favorite. And rightfully so, given the holiday's fun traditions, which include pinching people not wearing green and chasing after elusive leprechauns to snare pots of gold. How did the death anniversary of this once-unknown saint become so popular? Read on:...
اقرأ المقالThe WHO Has Declared The COVID-19 Coronavirus Outbreak A Pandemic: Here Is What That MeansOn March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the COVID-19 coronavirus global emergency is now a pandemic. The UN health agency urged countries worldwide to "double-down" on their efforts to curtail the spread of the infectious disease, which has swept into at least 114 countries and killed over 4,000 people in less than three months....
اقرأ المقالMeet Henneguya Salminicola: The Only Known Multicellular Organism That Can Live Without OxygenThough many single-celled lifeforms have evolved to survive without oxygen, multicellular organisms have always been believed to need it to live. Now, scientists in Tel Aviv, Israel, have found that Henneguya salminicola, a parasite, which spends its life attached to the muscle tissue of fish, has adapted to living without oxygen....
اقرأ المقالGet Ready To Celebrate Pi(e) Day!Celebrated annually on March 14, Pi ("π”) Day is a universal favorite with students and teachers. Though the American holiday, which honors the numerical constant representing the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, typically begins with a classroom discussion of the symbol, it usually ends with a slice or two of delicious pie. The event is commemorated every March 14 because the irrational number, which continues infinitely without repetition or pattern, is widely recognized as 3.14....
اقرأ المقالFeathered "Dancing Dragon" Fossil May Provide Insights Into How Birds Evolved From DinosaursPaleontologists have long determined that modern-day birds evolved from smaller members of the two-legged, meat-eating theropods, such as velociraptors. However, for many years, the only transitional fossil linking the two had been that of the archaeopteryx — a bird-dinosaur hybrid that lived on Earth about 150 million years ago, during the late Jurassic period....
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