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Science & Nature

A collection of 266 issues

Time's First Chapter: Unearthing the 10,000-Year-Old Lunisolar Calendar of Warren Field

In a field in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, lies the world's oldest known calendar. Created by Mesolithic hunter-gatherers around 8,000 BCE, the Warren Field monument consists of 12 pits that track lunar phases and align with the midwinter solstice, predating Mesopotamian timekeeping by millennia.

History Science & Nature

Feel, Don't Tap: The Hidden Sensitivity of a Tortoise's Shell

Contrary to popular belief, a tortoise's shell is not an inanimate object. It's a living, sensitive part of its body, fused to its skeleton and filled with nerve endings. This means tortoises can feel every tap, scratch, and change in temperature directly through their protective armor.

Science & Nature Animals in Culture

The Saxophone's Identity Crisis: Why This Brass-Bodied Beauty Is Actually a Woodwind

Despite its metallic shine, the saxophone is a woodwind instrument. Its classification comes not from its body material, but from its sound source: a vibrating wooden reed. This simple fact places it in the same family as the clarinet, not the trumpet, challenging our visual assumptions.

Music Science & Nature History

The Tidal Puzzle: How England's Smallest County Changes Four Times a Day

England's smallest county isn't a fixed place. Depending on the time of day, the title shifts between the Isle of Wight and Rutland. This fascinating geographic quirk is all thanks to the immense area of coastal land revealed and then hidden by the ocean's ebb and flow twice each day.

Geography & Places Science & Nature

Is Your Dental Floss Toxic? The Unsettling Truth About 'Forever Chemicals'

Your dental floss, especially 'glide' types, may contain PFAS, 'forever chemicals' linked to serious health issues. A 2019 study found using certain flosses was associated with higher levels of these toxins in the body, prompting consumers to seek safer, PFAS-free alternatives.

Medicine, Psychology & Health Science & Nature Food & Lifestyle

More Than Cute: The Clever Reason Sea Otters Hold Hands While They Sleep

Sea otters hold hands while sleeping in groups called rafts to avoid drifting apart in the ocean's current. This endearing behavior is a crucial survival tactic, especially for mothers and their pups, ensuring the safety and social cohesion of the group. They also use kelp as natural anchors.

Science & Nature Animals in Culture

The Pi Paradox: Why NASA and Your Computer Only Care About the First 15 Digits

For most scientific and engineering tasks, including NASA's interplanetary calculations, only about 15 digits of Pi are used. This isn't arbitrary; it aligns with the precision of double-precision floating-point numbers, the standard format for calculations in modern computers.

Science & Nature Technology & Innovation

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