The Human Brainwaves Centennial Exposes a Darker Science History
This year is the centennial of the discovery of human brain waves. Few people know the story of that startling finding, because the true story was suppressed and lost to history. Almost two decades ago I visited the pioneering scientists’ labs in Germany and Italy seeking answers. What I learned overturned accepted history and exposed
How Do We Name the Stars?
Betelgeuse! Betelgeuse! Betelgeuse! Did it explode? No? Okay, then. But it seems fair to ask: Why “Betelgeuse”? It’s an odd-seeming name for a star. That’s because it’s a corrupted translation of the Arabic phrase yad al-jawzā’, which roughly translates to “the hand of Orion”—a decent moniker for the star that does represent the constellation’s upraised
Conservation Efforts Save Pandas, Wolves and Panthers from Extinction
Rachel Feltman: If I asked you to guess how many animal species are threatened with extinction right now, would you have a number in your head? Is it hundreds, thousands? [CLIP: Theme music] Feltman: Well, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, it’s about 17,800 of them. On supporting science journalism If you're
UV-Stimulated Fluorescence Reveals Nearly 50 Hidden Pterodactylus Specimens
These relatives of Pterodactylus will allow paleontologists to reconstruct this flying reptile’s life history from hatchling to adulthood. Holotype specimen of Pterodactylus antiquus. Image credit: Robert S.H. Smyth & David M. Unwin, doi: 10.1080/14772019.2024.2421845. Nearly 250 years ago, the very first pterosaur fossil was found in a quarry in northern Bavaria, Germany. Dubbed Pterodactylus, this
Some People Can’t Imagine Sounds: Anauralia
Some people can’t imagine a dog barking or a police siren; songs can’t get stuck in their heads; they have no inner voices. Anauralia was proposed in 2021 University of Auckland scientists to describe the little-known condition of a silent mind. Now, the University of Auckland will host a global conference on sounds imagined in
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