How was Popcorn Discovered?
Plus: Wild Animal Revivals to Celebrate
Back from the Brink: Wild Animal Revivals to Celebrate
Numerous creatures large and small have been pushed to the edge of extinction. But a few have made remarkable comebacks, from the bald eagle to the Iberian lynx, humpback whales and even some populations of polar bears. The recoveries are not indicative of an improving global ecosystem, but they show what’s possible when we put our collective minds to fixing things in the wild that we’d previously messed up.
Here are species that once dangled over the precipice of extinction, but have been revived in remarkable ways. They serve as ambassadors for the natural world - showing us what can be done with some attention and effort - and when their habitats are preserved, an abundance of diversity is preserved within them.
—Richard Gordon
Why are Blood Transfusions So Tricky?
Blood all looks the same—always red, never blue. Yet little differences make blood transfusions among humans are tricky, while blood from a dog, pig, chicken or any other animal will kill you. Learn how it all works (or doesn't).
Human and animal blood doesn’t look different to the naked eye, and it’s got the same fractions of different cell types. Other mammals’ blood is also made of plasma, red blood cells, and a tiny fraction of white blood cells, platelets, and other ingredients. But at the molecular level, blood from other animals is very different from human blood.
—Sam Westreich, PhD
How was Popcorn Discovered?
Archaeology relies on finding old stuff being hard and lasting. Not exactly the characteristics of popcorn. But this archaeologist explains how evidence has led them to believe that thousands of years ago, well after the invention of fire but sometime before microwave ovens, people had discovered poppable corn. How or why they invented popcorn remains a mystery, however.
Luckily, corn — also called maize — has some hard parts, such as the kernel shell. They’re the bits at the bottom of the popcorn bowl that get caught in your teeth. And since you have to heat maize to make it edible, sometimes it got burned, and archaeologists find evidence that way. Most interesting of all, some plants, including maize, contain tiny, rock-like fragments called phytoliths that can last for thousands of years.
—Sean Rafferty
Flying Can Take a Toll on Your Skin
You might have many reasons to fear flying, whether pure safety concerns or the angst of flight delays. But what about your skin? This dermatologist fleshes out some of the lesser known risks of flying, from a heightened risk of skin cancer to the annoyance of dry skin, acne outbreaks, dullness and puffiness.
Not only does the amount of sun exposure impact the risk of skin cancer, but so does intensity, which is why dermatologists recommend avoiding outdoor activity between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. At typical flying heights (around 30,000 feet), UV radiation is about twice as intense as on the ground. If you're sitting by the window, your risk of skin cancer and sun-related damage increases.
—Annie Foley
Why Does Earth Have Only 1 Moon While Saturn Has 146?
You might think the explanation for why some planets have no moons, and others have dozens or more, is simple. But there are two main theories. One involves a gravitational tug-of-war with the Sun. The other goes way, way back in time, to the formation of the solar system. And then there’s a third way:
Earth’s Moon is special because it likely formed in a different way. Scientists believe that long ago, a large, Mars-sized object collided with the Earth. During that collision, a big chunk flew off the Earth and into its orbit and became the Moon.
—Nicole Granucci
Plus, over on our sister site, Wise & Well:
How to Battle Eco-Anxiety
Anxiety over the future of Earth is no longer about far-off worries. More than half of Americans say they are anxious about the impact of climate change on their mental health now. And the angst is global, surveys find. It’s also more acute among younger people and among those who’ve directly experienced the extreme effects of climate change. Among the survival strategies this writer explores in detail:
Acknowledge your feelings; calm your nervous system; resist the tendency to catastrophize; and do something proactive.
—Kathleen Murphy