Tracing the origins of Christmas traditions: From Santa to KFC
Every year, families who celebrate Christmas decorate their tree and hang stockings in anticipation of the arrival of Santa Claus. But what does this have to do with the religious holiday itself?.....»»
How did Joker 2 begin? Director Todd Phillips reveals the origins behind 2024’s hottest sequel
Todd Phillips explains how the idea for Joker 2 originally started as a Broadway musical with star Joaquin Phoenix......»»
Mapping Martian meteorites: Tracing origins on the red planet
Researchers have identified the specific locations from which most of the approximately 200 Martian meteorites originate. They've traced the meteorites to five impact craters within two volcanic regions on the red planet called Tharsis and Elysium. T.....»»
Researchers propose method to manage the invasive weed congress grass
The invasive North American plant species Parthenium hysterophorus, commonly known as Santa Maria feverfew and famine weed, is now present in Africa, Australia, and India, where it is locally known in English as congress grass......»»
Singing from memory unlocks a surprisingly common musical superpower
Psychologists from UC Santa Cruz wanted to study "earworms," the types of songs that get stuck in your head and play automatically on a loop. So they asked people to sing out any earworms they were experiencing and record them on their phones when pr.....»»
Stonehenge"s Altar Stone origins reveal advanced ancient Britain
New research led by Curtin University has revealed Stonehenge's monumental six-ton Altar Stone, long believed to originate from Wales, actually hails from Scotland. The study titled "A Scottish Provenance for the Altar Stone of Stonehenge" was publis.....»»
The biggest-ever sample of core material from Earth"s mantle could have valuable clues into the origins of life
If you were to slice through it, you would see the Earth is divided into distinct layers. On top is the relatively thin crust where we live. Beneath that is the 2,900 km thick mantle layer. Then, enclosed within the mantle is the innermost metallic c.....»»
520-million-year-old larva fossil reveals the origins of arthropods
Early arthropod development illuminated by a microscopic fossil. Enlarge / The fossil in question, oriented with its head to the left. (credit: Yang Jie / Zhang Xiguang) Around half a billion years ago, in what is now th.....»»
Advanced chelators offer efficient and eco-friendly rare earth element recovery
The world is going to need a lot of weird metals in the coming years, according to chemistry professor Justin Wilson at UC Santa Barbara. But he isn't talking about lithium, cobalt or even beryllium. Wilson's interested in dysprosium, which is so hid.....»»
An overlooked side-effect of the housing crisis may be putting Californians at increased risk from climate disasters
In a new article appearing in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, UC Santa Cruz researchers have laid out the foundation for their highly-anticipated upcoming study of how lack of affordable housing in urban areas of Californ.....»»
Born to modulate: Researchers reveal origins of climate-controlling particles
Aerosol particles are tiny. Swirling suspended in the air around us, most are smaller than the smallest bug, thinner than the thinnest hair on your head, gossamer specks practically invisible to the naked eye. Newly formed ones are nano-sized. Yet th.....»»
Scientists pin down the origins of the moon"s tenuous atmosphere
While the moon lacks any breathable air, it does host a barely-there atmosphere. Since the 1980s, astronomers have observed a very thin layer of atoms bouncing over the moon's surface. This delicate atmosphere—technically known as an "exosphere"—.....»»
Researchers demonstrate mechanism that may have stabilized the first RNA molecules
The origins of life remain a major mystery. How were complex molecules able to form and remain intact for prolonged periods without disintegrating? A team at ORIGINS, a Munich-based Cluster of Excellence, has demonstrated a mechanism that could have.....»»
Hyundai recalls about 50,000 vehicles over electrical wiring faults linked to airbag failures
Hyundai is recalling its 2024 Santa Fe gasoline and hybrid models in Canada and the U.S. because of electrical wiring faults that could cause airbags to deploy incorrectly or not at all, increasing the risk of injury in a crash......»»
Scientists investigate nonlinear current response in perovskite X-ray detectors
A research team led by Dr. Li Yunlong at the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences delved into the origins of nonlinear current response in polycrystalline metal halide perovskite X-ray detectors. Their s.....»»
Discovery sheds light on the origins of matter in the early universe
The early universe was 250,000 times hotter than the core of our sun. That's far too hot to form the protons and neutrons that make up everyday matter. Scientists recreate the conditions of the early universe in particle accelerators by smashing atom.....»»
Invasive, blood-sucking fish "may hold the key to understanding where we came from," say biologists
One of just two vertebrates without a jaw, sea lampreys that are wreaking havoc in Midwestern fisheries are simultaneously helping scientists understand the origins of two important stem cells that drove the evolution of vertebrates......»»
Trace the origins of Optimus Prime and Megatron in new Transformers One trailer
Before they became bitter enemies, Optimus Prime and Megatron were once friends. See how they became enemies in the new trailer for Transformers One......»»
Is X-Men Origins: Wolverine really that bad?
Now that Deadpool & Wolverine is nearly in theaters, it's time to ask if X-Men Origins: Wolverine deserves a critical reappraisal 15 years after its release......»»
Art the Clown is a Christmas murderer in Terrifier 3’s new teaser trailer
It's beginning to look a lot like a bloody Christmas in the first teaser trailer for Terrifier 3, the third installment in Damien Leone's slasher franchise......»»
On the origin of academic traditions—and some alternatives for debate
The field of science aims to be objective, repeatable and justified in its choices and methods. These principles are what distinguish accepted scientific findings from pseudo-science. Yet the experience of learning and working in the field of science.....»»