Evolutionary biologists show that the color variants of female cuckoos are based on ancient mutations
Every cuckoo is an adopted child—raised by foster parents, into whose nest the cuckoo mother smuggled her egg. The cuckoo mother is aided in this subterfuge by her resemblance to a bird of prey. There are two variants of female cuckoos: a gray morp.....»»
Carpool Karaoke makes Apple TV+ return with hour-long Christmas special
Carpool Karaoke started as a hit segment on James Corden’s late-night show, then later became a multi-season series sans Corden, starting on Apple Music and later moving to Apple TV. Now, it’s returning with an hour-long Christmas special for App.....»»
Twins were the norm for our ancient primate ancestors—one baby at a time had evolutionary advantages
Twins have been rare in human history and for that reason can seem special. Many cultures associate twins with health and vitality, while others see them as a philosophical reminder of the duality of life and death, good and evil. Some famous twins a.....»»
Closest relative of "magic mushroom" discovered in Africa
A team of biologists, mycologists and microbiologists in the U.S., South Africa and Zimbabwe reports that a species of mushroom growing in parts of Africa is the closest relative of Psilocybe cubensis, the most widespread hallucinogenic mushroom know.....»»
Research reveals cultural fascination with female con artists
In the last few years, television shows about con women have been popping up on streaming services. From Apple TV's "Hollywood Con Queen" to Hulu's "The Dropout," audiences clearly have a thirst for stories about female scammers......»»
Completing the "timetree" of primates: A new way to map the evolutionary history of life on Earth
In a new article published in Frontiers in Bioinformatics, biologists Dr. Jack M Craig, Dr. Blair Hedges, and Dr. Sudhir Kumar, all at Temple University, have built an evolutionary tree that encompasses 455 primates, every species for which genetic d.....»»
Overlooking platform security weakens long-term cybersecurity posture
Platform security – securing the hardware and firmware of PCs, laptops and printers – is often overlooked, weakening cybersecurity posture for years to come, according to HP. The report, based on a global study of 800+ IT and security decision-ma.....»»
Ancient genes pinpoint when humans and Neanderthals mixed and mingled
Neanderthals and humans likely mixed and mingled during a narrow time frame 45,000 years ago, scientists reported Thursday......»»
Sarah Michelle Gellar is open to a Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot
The show ran for seven seasons from 1997 to 2003 and has only become more of a cult favorite in the decades since it went off the air......»»
Quentin Tarantino thinks movies are still better than TV shows like Yellowstone
Quentin Tarantino doesn't think a TV show like Yellowstone has as much of a lasting impact as any great film......»»
Saturday Citations: M87* lashes out; a deep sleep discovery; proposal to build a digital cell
I love it when researchers observe an extra-weird particle, and this week, scientists reported the observation of a particle that only has mass when it's moving in a single direction. Good enough! An ancient DNA analysis suggests that Neanderthals an.....»»
Surveys show full scale of massive seabird die-off due to Pacific Ocean heat wave
Murres, a common seabird, look a little like flying penguins. These stout, tuxedo-styled birds dive and swim in the ocean to eat small fish and then fly back to islands or coastal cliffs where they nest in large colonies. But their hardy physiques di.....»»
The secret to living to 110? Bad record-keeping, researcher says
Most of what we know about humans living to very old age is based on faulty data, including the science behind the "blue zones" famous for having a high proportion of people over 100, according to one researcher......»»
The Game Awards finally figured out its formula
After a rough show in 2023 defined by double standards, The Game Awards finally has a grip on how to make its mishmash format work......»»
Mac representation at Game Awards caps off a good year for macOS gaming
Gaming on Mac has arguably enjoyed its best year ever, but the promise of more arrivals to the platform could make things even better for Apple-based gamers.Balatro is riding high in Apple Arcade at the momentOnce upon a time, one of the authors of t.....»»
Buried landforms reveal North Sea"s ancient glacial past
An international team of researchers, including a glaciologist at Newcastle University, UK, has discovered remarkably well-preserved glacial landforms buried almost 1 km beneath the North Sea......»»
Ancient Roman harbor wooden structures analyzed with MRI technology
In a recent study, rare wooden structures from the Roman Empire were investigated in a wide range of ways using NMR methods. These methods, widely known for their use in hospital MRI scans to produce detailed images of the human body, have proven equ.....»»
How chemical reactions deplete nutrients in plant-based drinks
Over the last decade, the global market for plant-based beverages has seen remarkable growth, with oat, almond, soy and rice drinks emerging as popular alternatives to cow's milk in coffee and oatmeal during this time......»»
Uncovering the evolutionary origins of the hepatitis E virus
An international team of virologists, mammalian ecologists and zoologists has uncovered the evolutionary origins of the hepatitis E virus. In their study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group analyzed genomic da.....»»
If you have to watch one Hulu show this December, stream this one
Say Nothing is based on the true story of two sisters who served in the Irish Republican Army......»»
Video: A biologist explains how animals move
For millennia, humans have observed and have been inspired by the ways that animals move. Some researchers theorize that paintings in famous caves like Chauvet and Lascaux, made more than 30,000 years ago, were designed to show the ways a horse might.....»»