All posts tagged: discovered

Gigantic crater 3x larger than the Grand Canyon discovered in U.S.

Gigantic crater 3x larger than the Grand Canyon discovered in U.S.

Published by skeptic

About 35 million years ago, an asteroid collided with the ocean off the East Coast of North America, creating a 25-mile diameter crater now buried beneath the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia and Maryland. This catastrophic event triggered fires, earthquakes, molten glass droplets, an air blast, and a massive tsunami. The “Chesapeake Bay impact crater,” now entirely concealed, was discovered in the early 1990s through scientific drilling. It holds the title of the largest known impact crater in the U.S. and the 15th largest on Earth. The asteroid impact also produced an ejecta layer, which includes tektites (natural glass formed from meteorite impacts) and shocked zircon crystals that were thrown from the impact site. This layer, referred to as the “North American tektite strewn field,” spans about 4 million square miles, roughly ten times the size of Texas. Some ejecta landed on land, while the rest cooled rapidly upon hitting seawater and sank to the ocean floor. The 21 shocked and unshocked zircon crystals dated in this study were separated from this ~30 cubic centimeters of …

Researchers just discovered the oldest pyramid on Earth

Researchers just discovered the oldest pyramid on Earth

Published by skeptic

Beneath the rolling hills of West Java, Indonesia, lies a fascinating discovery that’s reshaping our understanding of ancient history. This site, known to the local Sundanese people as Gunung Padang, or “mountain of enlightenment,” could soon be recognized as the oldest pyramid on Earth, dating back even further than Stonehenge and the great Pyramids of Giza. As researchers dig deeper, they uncover a “remarkable testament” to the brilliance of our ancient ancestors. These early builders constructed a megalithic marvel long before the rise of agriculture or any known civilization. Gunung Padang has always been revered by the locals, who describe it as a ‘punden berundak,’ or stepped pyramid. The terraces leading to its peak suggest a sophisticated level of engineering beneath the surface. However, archaeologists are only now beginning to unravel the true nature and historical importance of this ancient site. Gunung Padang has long been sacred ground to locals who regard the hill as a ‘punden berundak’, translating to a stepped pyramid. (CREDIT: Creative Commons) Recent discoveries by a coalition of Indonesian scientists point …

Ancient Egyptian Structure Discovered Near Giza Pyramids

Ancient Egyptian Structure Discovered Near Giza Pyramids

Published by skeptic

The Giza Plateau in Egypt. Source: Wikimedia Commons.   A previously unknown structure was discovered in an apparent “blank area” of the Giza pyramid complex. Using ground-penetrating technology, a joint research team from Higashi Nippon International University, Tohoku University, and Egypt’s National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics found an ancient “anomaly” hidden beneath the sand of Giza’s West Field Cemetery.   Ground-Penetrating Radar Revealed an “Anomaly” The red rectangle indicates the initial archaeological survey area at Giza. Source: Archaeological Prospection.   Located west of the Great Pyramid of Giza, the West Field Cemetery is an important burial site for ancient royals and high-ranking officers. Archaeologists have long been curious about a so-called “blank area” in the middle of the cemetery that is surrounded by mastabas. These are a type of tomb with a flat-roofed rectangular structure that marks an underground burial site.   Previous excavations in this area of the Giza pyramid complex did not yield significant discoveries. However, a newly-published article about a 2021-2023 excavation revealed a new underground discovery: “We conducted a …

I discovered hydrothermal vents, but I’m only known for finding the Titanic | Geothermal energy

I discovered hydrothermal vents, but I’m only known for finding the Titanic | Geothermal energy

Published by skeptic

The mid-ocean ridge is where the Earth creates its outer skin. It’s called the boundary of creation. We knew there was life on the bottom of the ocean but not entire ecosystems supporting large animals until our expedition went down there in 1977. First, we sent down an unmanned vehicle called Angus, which was essentially a camera system and strobe lights within a two-tonne steel cage. It was going down in the eternal darkness, slaloming back and forth like a skier down a mountain. We were exploring the longest mountain range on Earth – the mid-ocean ridge. We were looking for heat, and we theorised that there would be vents in the ridge, but we never expected to see large concentrations of life. After 12 hours of taking thousands of photos, Angus came back up. When we studied the photos we found that at about 2,500 metres deep, where we had detected a sudden increase in temperature, the water got cloudy. Then we suddenly saw clams – giant clams the size of dinner plates – …

Stone with Ancient Writing Discovered in England by Geography Teacher

Stone with Ancient Writing Discovered in England by Geography Teacher

Published by skeptic

A 1,600-year-old rock inscribed with early Irish writing was found by a teacher at his home in Coventry, England. The rare artifact offers insight into earlier forms of the Irish language. Geography teacher Graham Senior was gardening when he found the sandstone inscribed in ogham, an alphabet for writing in the Irish language that dates to the early Medieval period. The ogham writing system, comprised of groups of parallel lines typically found on such materials as stone, was used by the Irish before the availability of vellum manuscripts and use of Latin insular script. Related Articles Inscribed on three of its four sides, the stone is four inches long and weighs less than half a pound. It is believed that the inscription may be a person’s name, along with information about where that individual came from. When Senior found the carved stone just four to five inches beneath the ground, he washed it and sent pictures to a local archaeologist and relative Teresa Gilmore, who encouraged him to contact the Portable Antiquities Scheme. There, they …

Sperm whale ‘phonetic alphabet’ discovered | Science & Tech News

Sperm whale ‘phonetic alphabet’ discovered | Science & Tech News

Published by skeptic

Scientists using artificial intelligence to decode the sounds made by sperm whales believe their calls are so complex they are similar to human language. New research by a group of experts studying a clan of whales in the East Caribbean found they use a ‘morse code’ of clicks, with the rhythm and tempo adding extra layers of complexity to convey meaning. The calls are so rich in information that they are likely to help pods make group decisions and coordinate joint tasks, such as foraging for food and rearing young, according to the scientists on the long-term study, called Project Ceti. Dr. David Gruber, founder and lead of Project CETI said: “This discovery marks a profound moment in advancing our understanding of sperm whales. Image: File pic: iStock “It opens up the possibility that sperm whales have an incredibly complex and nuanced communication system -and inspires us to continue on our whale listening journey.” Research by the team has previously shown the whales signal their clan identity with two evenly spaced clicks followed by three …

Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair HQ: Mystery surrounds human remains found at base | World | News

Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair HQ: Mystery surrounds human remains found at base | World | News

Published by skeptic

Polish prosecutors have discontinued an investigation into human skeletons found at a site in present-day Poland where German dictator Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders spent time during World War II due to a lack of evidence. Officials said they called an end to the probe as the advanced state of decay made it impossible to determine the cause of death, a spokesperson said Monday. The remains were found February 24 at Wolf’s Lair, the home of Nazi war criminal Herman Goring, in a complex which served as Hitler’s chief headquarters from 1941 to 44 when the area was part of Germany. The compound of about 200 Nazi bunkers and military barracks hidden in deep woods was the site of the failed assassination attempt on Hitler by Col. Claus Stauffenberg on July 20, 1944. The site is now a tourist attraction. The spokesman for the prosecutor’s office in nearby Ketrzyn town, Daniel Brodowski, said police officers secured the remains after they were found by a local group, Fundacja Latebra, which searches for historical objects. READ …

New Discovered Uranium Deposit In Poland Could Fuel Future Polish Nuclear Power Plant

New Discovered Uranium Deposit In Poland Could Fuel Future Polish Nuclear Power Plant

Published by skeptic

By Grzegorz Adamczyk of RMX.news The Świętokrzyska Industrial Group Industria (ŚGP Industria) has confirmed the presence of uranium in a deposit within the Świętokrzyskie Region in southern Poland. The company now plans to undertake further exploratory work to determine the deposit’s size and potential extraction methods. This finding was made during exploratory activities, though the company has chosen not to disclose the exact location at this time. In the coming months, detailed work will be carried out to establish the deposit’s size and potential exploitation methods. A uranium ore pile is the first to be mined at the Energy Fuels Inc. uranium Pinyon Plain Mine, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, near Tusayan, Ariz., USA. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) The International Atomic Energy Agency estimates that Poland has approximately 100,000 tons of natural uranium, although only 7,000 tons have been confirmed so far. ŚGP Industria received an exploratory concession from the Ministry of Climate and Environment for a polymetallic deposit containing uranium in the region. Following the company’s efforts, the presence of uranium in the deposit was …

Recently discovered protein holds the key to reversing muscle aging

Recently discovered protein holds the key to reversing muscle aging

Published by skeptic

Researchers have unveiled a groundbreaking discovery that may hold the key to reversing cellular aging. (CREDIT: Creative Commons) In the quest to defy the relentless march of time, researchers at the University at Buffalo have unveiled a groundbreaking discovery that may hold the key to reversing cellular aging. Their study, published in the prestigious journal Science Advances, revolves around a protein with a mythical namesake – NANOG, derived from the fabled Irish land of Tír na nÓg, a place steeped in legends of perpetual youth, beauty, and vitality. The study’s findings are nothing short of remarkable, as they offer a promising avenue for combating the age-related deterioration of skeletal muscle cells. By overexpressing NANOG in senescent myoblasts, the embryonic precursors to muscle tissue, the research team achieved a stunning reversal of key cellular markers associated with aging. These included improvements in autophagy, energy homeostasis, genomic stability, nuclear integrity, and mitochondrial function. Fluorescent confocal image of NANOG Polyclonal Antibody. (CREDIT: Abcepta) The dramatic impact of NANOG overexpression was further exemplified by an increase in the number …

Scientists have discovered a potential “cosmic glitch” in gravity

Scientists have discovered a potential “cosmic glitch” in gravity

Published by skeptic

For over a century, Einstein’s theory of general relativity has reigned supreme in explaining gravity across the universe. (CREDIT: Creative Commons) For over a century, Einstein’s theory of general relativity has reigned supreme in explaining gravity across the universe. Describing gravity as a warping of spacetime caused by mass and energy, general relativity has passed numerous tests, from predicting the motions of planets to capturing the distortion of light around black holes. However, recent research suggests a potential chink in this theory’s armor when dealing with the vast expanse of the cosmos. A team of researchers from the University of Waterloo and the University of British Columbia propose a “cosmic glitch” in gravity, a deviation from general relativity’s predictions on the largest scales. Led by Robin Wen, a recent Waterloo graduate, the team’s findings challenge how gravity behaves on the scale of galaxy clusters and beyond – distances reaching billions of light-years. Evolution in the CGG model. The upper panel shows the effects of Ωg on the energy density compositions Ωi(z) for the photons, baryons, …