Experts once believed the Wollemi pine tree went extinct. But in the 1990s, it was rediscovered in Australia. Also called the dinosaur tree, the Wollemi pine is one of the oldest tree species in the world. However, it’s under threat of real extinction from climate change and wildfires. To guarantee their survival, conservationists bred genetically...
A scientist may have found the cure for breast cancer, but through a controversial approach. Beata Halassy, 50, is a PhD virologist who successfully treated her own breast cancer by injecting herself with viruses known to attack cancer cells. This method is known as oncolytic virotherapy (OVT) and is currently being studied as an experimental...
Caffeine aficionados may be familiar with coffee cherries. These are the fruits of coffee trees that look like ruby red grapes when ripe. Inside them are two bluish-green coffee beans. Once extracted and roasted, the beans are ready to be ground and turned into a morning cup of joe. The fruit is typically discarded, but...
Let’s be clear: Inflammation is not inherently bad. It’s a natural healing response to infections and injuries. It comes in the form of symptoms like swelling, pain, heat, and redness, and usually heals on its own. When inflammation is temporary, it’s healthy and essential. But when it becomes chronic or severe, it can contribute to...
Age affects everyone differently. Some people are active and sharp well into their 90s, while others suffer physical and mental decline starting in their 50s. There are exceptions to every rule, and unsafe drivers come in every age. However, in 2021 there were 8,209 fatalities involving drivers aged 65 or older, compared to the low...
Sperm whales appear all over the world. They swim in every deep ocean and brave extreme temperatures from the equator to the Arctic and Antarctic. They have massive heads that take up one-third of their body length. Inside are the largest brains in the planet, five times the size of a human’s. And they seem...
In the wilderness of Mongolia, an ancient tribe lives away from modern life. The Dukha people are also known as the Tsaatan, which translates to ‘those with reindeer,’ and they are the last tribe in the world who rides these animals. Their numbers are dwindling, with only a few hundred left in the community in...
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have achieved a milestone out of a science-fiction blockbuster. They have created a new phase of matter in an innovative type of time crystal called a “discrete time quasicrystal”. Their discovery challenges previous theories about motion and time, and opens up doors to potential advances in industrial automation...
Apples are universally healthy but they are not equal. Most people are familiar with types like Pink Lady, Gala, Granny Smith, etc. However, there are over 7,500 varieties of apples grown all over the world, according to WSU Tree Fruit. Casual eaters and aficionados alike can differentiate between types and decide on their favorites. Food...
A mother of two undergoes a medical nightmare, complete with a misdiagnosis and an unneeded surgery. In September 2024, Rhian Butlin, 32, suffered “excrutiating” stomach pain. However, her symptoms were dismissed as polycystic ovary syndrome. Two months later, she was rushed to the emergency room in agony and abdominal swelling so severe she looked nine...
Earlier this month, a student posted an upsetting photo on Reddit. It featured a large cluster of spindly black mushrooms sprouting out of an indoor baseboard and up a nearby window pane. The original poster (OP) wrote they had found it growing in the shared bathroom of their university. They added, “The growth spans around...
Despite covering about 70% of Earth’s surface, the ocean has gone mostly unexplored. As of June 2024, only 26.1% of the world’s seafloor has been mapped, according to the NOAA. That leaves so much to be explored, from undiscovered species to unique geological formations and many more phenomena. However, researchers have created a new way...
