Native American oral tradition contains stories of sturgeon living for centuries. While this was largely seen as folklore among conventional scientists, a new study shows that lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in the Great Lakes area can live over 200 years, with some approaching 300 years.1,2 This means some living lake sturgeon were likely alive at the time of the founding of the United States of America, 250 years ag... More...
The uncanny abilities of the honeybee cause entomologists to shake their heads in wonder.1,2
Scientists have long known that honeybees survive on nectar and pollen. More recently, researchers discovered that honeybees have a sophisticated nutritional process that transforms pollen into incredibly well-designed food for their larvae. They also found that honeybees have the ability to detect and correct when the balance ... More...
An organization named Noah’s Ark Scans is investigating a site called Durupinar, almost 20 miles from Mount Ararat in Turkey. Could it contain some remains of Noah’s Ark? The group’s founder, Andrew Jones, said in a press release, “I believe this is Noah’s Ark, that’s why I’m putting the Durupinar site through the most rigorous testing possible.”1
The same release announc... More...
Most of us are familiar with the narwhal, a bizarre arctic mammal that sports a long, twisted tusk, earning the creature its nickname, the unicorn of the ocean. A cursory glance at the tusk reveals that it twists to the left. But there’s more to this spiraled structure than meets the eye.
Scientists used to think the tusk—which is really a tooth—was simply a straight protrusion that spiraled only to the left. He... More...
Scientists recently found a “jumping gene” in an odd place. An RNA molecule from a tiny predatory bacterium had entered the cells of a very different microbe.1 Some reports said this could help genes spread between species.2 But the study did not show a new genetic system forming. It showed an existing system moving genetic material from one cell to another.
The team studied Candidatus Velamen... More...
A spark plug can make a spark, but no one would say a spark plug can build a car. In much the same way, a chemical reaction can do one useful job without creating a living cell. Yet new research in Science Advances suggests that simple chemical reactions may help explain how early life arose.1 Although the study is valuable, its results point to a key problem: one chemical step does not explain the origin of a complete liv... More...