Science

On 9 May there will be a rare transit of Mercury, when the smallest planet in our solar system will pass directly between the Earth and the Sun. With suitable observing equipment Mercury can then be viewed as a small black dot crossing the face of the Sun over a period of several hours. All observers are advised that it …

Are humans alone in the universe? That is a question most of us have asked ourselves, and its answer could result in us feeling rather optimistic or extremely pessimistic. Although this question seems like one that will always remain a mystery, it hasn’t stopped scientists from trying to figure it out. And they do this using the famous Drake equation, …

Lizards sleep in a series of stages, such as rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep, much like human beings, according to study. A new study, published in the journal Science on Thursday, monitored brain activity in lizards using a new technique and found that when the reptiles snooze, they cycle through REM and slow-wave sleep patterns just like mammals and birds do. …

Kennewick Man, one of the oldest and best-preserved skeletons ever found in North America, is related to modern Native American tribes, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Wednesday, possibly closing a debate that lasted 20 years. “My decision regarding this determination has been an important one to make and is based on the best available evidence,” said Brig. Gen. …

Antarctica is slowly revealing more of its secrets as a team of researchers has collected more evidence that could reveal a hidden lake deep below the icy surface. Looking at satellite images, scientists spotted grooves in the ice, which could be evidence of a large lake, New Scientist reports. It would likely be smaller than the deepest and largest subsurface …

Movie review of “A Beautiful Planet 3D”: This documentary shows spectacular IMAX images of Earth filmed by astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Rating: 3 stars out of 4. “A Beautiful Planet 3D,” which is narrated by Jennifer Lawrence, debuts at the California Science Center and other select IMAX cinemas on Friday, April 29, just in time for the close …

A genetic investigation of the Y chromosome has revealed explosions in the number of human males across five continents between 55,000 and 4,000 years ago, according to a new report in the journal Nature Genetics. The study, led by Dr Chris Tyler-Smith of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, analysed sequence differences between the Y chromosomes of more than 1200 men …

A new study indicates that dogs don’t like hugs, which could be surprising to a lot of dog owners. According to Stanley Coren of Psychology Today, animal behaviorists believe hugging dogs is akin to immobilizing them and raises their stress and anxiety levels.

A gigantic stretch of coral reef has just been discovered at the mouth of the Amazon River by an international team of scientists. The 600-mile-long area of reef went unnoticed until now since coral usually survives best in clear waters. The Amazon’s water, on the other hand, is some of the dirtiest in the world. Researchers on a recent expedition …

Researchers have collected selfies of various animals in the Amazon Rainforest, by using motion-activated camera traps and a drone to capture a never-before-seen picture of the vast forest. Earlier this year, a team of 25 scientists trekked to the unexplored reaches of Medio Putumayo-Algodón, Peru and spent 17 days conducting a rapid biological and social inventory of the area. As …

It might only be a month into spring, but already B.C. conservation officers have responded to over 300 bear conflicts since April 1. The statistics are not usual according to Deputy Chief of the BC Conservation Officer, Chris Doyle. While numbers may seem high, Doyle said it hasn’t shown to be any different than previous years.