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Giant Impact Hypothesis: An evolving legacy of Apollo Early in solar system history, a protoplanet named Theia smashed into Earth and created the Moon. This artist’s concept shows what a collision between worlds, such as Theia smashing into Earth, may look like.NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle The Moon has always beckoned. Long before our ancestors realized “wandering stars” were actually planets sharing the solar system with Earth, they recognized the Moon was a sort of sibling to our planet. And one of the first big questions to arise was surely: How did the Moon come to be? Fifty years ago, humans accomplished…

Fossil of 37 мillion years old Whale Skeleton (мore than 65ft long) found in Wadi Al Hitan, Egyptian desert. Dozens of rare fossilized whale skeletons haʋe eмerged froм the sands of the Egyptian Saharan desert. A мuseuм has now opened on the site to help preserʋe the fossils Wadi Al-Hitan, Egypt – Egypt has unʋeiled what it said is the Middle East’s first мuseuм dedicated to fossils that showcases an early forм of whales, now extinct and known as the “walking whale”. The January 15th unʋeiling was part of goʋernмent efforts to re­store confidence and attract мuch-needed tourists, who are…

GöƄekli Tepe is a center of faith and pilgrimage during the Neolithic Age and is situated 15 kм froм the Turkish town of Sanlıurfa and added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2018. The мonuмental structures, which stand as testaмents to the artistic aƄilities of our ancestors, also offer insights into the life and Ƅeliefs of people liʋing in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period (10th-9th мillennia BC). It was not the grandeur of the archeological wonder that doмinated мy мind, when I stood Ƅeneath a 4,000-square-foot steel roof erected to protect the oldest teмple in the world in Upper Mesopotaмia.…

HOW ARE KITES DIFFERENT FROM HAWKS AND FALCONS? Kites, falcons and hawks are all birds of prey that share many similarities. While these many not hold true for every specific species, here are some general differences between these three types of birds: Wing Shape: Kites have long, pointed wings that are designed for soaring and gliding. Hawks have shorter, broader wings that are designed for quick, agile flight. Falcons also have longer, pointed wings but are mainly designed for speed. Hunting Style: Kites are often opportunistic hunters and feed on a variety of prey, including small mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects. They…

5 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MALE VS FEMALE CARDINALS From behavior to song, male and female Cardinals have many different traits that make them unique. This article discusses the general behaviors and appearances of the male and female cardinal. We also identify five fun facts about the differences between the sexes. First, let’s look at what are the main characteristics are of each sex, and how that affects the way they act. 1. MALES ARE BRIGHT RED Only males are bright red. From their head to the tip of their tail, these songbirds have scarlet feathers. The only exception is a dark…

All of cosmic history, from near the Big Bang (at upper left) to the engineering marvels of superadvanced civilizations (at lower right), could be reached theoretically in a time machine. Although physicists know time travel into the future is possible, the past may be out of reach.Adolf Schaller; Time Machine: Astronomy: Theo Cobb This story originally appeared in the February 2006 issue of Astronomy. When H. G. Wells put pen to paper in 1895, he started something that shows no sign of abating. The Time Machine, Wells’ first novel, was social commentary disguised as science fiction. But his idea that time…

The Golden pheasant is a colorful inhabitant of Asia but an exotic visitor to most of the western world. They adapt to many temperate environments and habitat conditions. First recorded in North America in 1740, these birds have a variety of interesting traits that continue to attract birdwatchers and farmers alike. Keep reading to learn 15 of the most interesting facts about the Golden pheasant! 15 FACTS ABOUT THE GOLDEN PHEASANT 1. IT IS NATIVE TO CHINA BUT LIVES AROUND THE WORLD. While Golden pheasants originated in Asia – China’s southern and western forests, to be exact – they have spread throughout…

The tombs of more than 20 beasts were found in the vast, ancient burial ground of Saqqara more than 100 years ago but fresh details have come to light thanks to a new documentary. This huge coffin was discovered in a necropolis south of Cairo in 1850 Bettany Hughes described during Channel 5’s “Egypt’s Greatest Treasures” the enormous scale of the underground necropolis. The site, known as Saqqara, dates back to around 1350 BC during the reign of Amenhotep III, the ninth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty. “Down here, there is a whole subterranean world containing thousands, possibly millions, of…

The Galilean moons of Jupiter and how to observe them Jupiter’s four largest and most well-studied moons were first discovered more than 400 years ago. And they still make for wonderful observational targets. The origins of Jupiter’s Galilean moons is a long-standing mystery. But new research suggests a promising pathway for how they may have formed. From bottom to top is Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. Jupiter is shown to scale on the right.Moons: NASA/JPL/Galileo; Jupiter: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute; Image data processing and layout: Kevin M. Gill As the citizens of Padua, Italy, watched the Sun set on the evening…

Designed after the life-sustaining daily cycle of the Sun, the famous “Solar Boat” is one of ancient Egypt’s most iconic depictions of how this culture viewed the afterlife. Now, the famous divine transportation vessel, that represented a Pharaoh’s journey to the afterlife, has itself been transported 7.5 kilometres (5 miles) to Egypt’s much anticipated new  Grand Egyptian Museum  (GEM). King Khufu’s legendary 4,600-year-old  solar boat was built to represent the transportation of the ruler’s soul on its journey in the afterlife. Once completed, it was imbued with magical powers so it could become the actual vessel of the king’s soul journey. Egypt’s Tourism and Antiquities Ministry announced…

There are thousands of species of birds throughout the world, but have you ever picked a letter of the alphabet and tried to find birds to match? Below you will find a list of birds that start with b found in the Americas, selected with variety in mind. BIRDS THAT START WITH B There are so many birds that start with B, and this is only a tiny cross-section of the birds out there. Below is a list of 28 beautiful and beguiling bird species whose name starts with B. Let’s dive in! Birds that start with the letter B  show species …

Florida is a paradise for birds. Its mild climate, abundant water, and plentiful vegetation support thousands of species. Birds with adaptations to freshwater and saltwater abound in its marshes, swamps, lakes, and coasts. If you go birdwatching in Florida, white birds are some of the first to stand out against a backdrop of green, blue, or gray. This article explores some of the white birds in Florida. You’ll get to take a look at their habitat, diet, and where they live in the state. Keep reading to learn more! 14 WHITE BIRDS IN FLORIDA 1. AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN Scientific name: Pelecanus…

When a small, rocky world gets too close to an exceptionally active star, the planet can begin to evaporate, leaving it cloaked in a cloud of dust that also trails behind it, as seen in this artist’s concept.NASA, ESA, L. Calçada Sometimes a planet wanders too close to its parent star, which causes the world to begin to evaporate. And for a brief period of time, it’s possible for astronomers to observe this act of cosmic filicide, revealing vital clues about how such planets form in the first place. Astronomers don’t usually get a chance to crack open a planet…

The Ministry of Antiquities and the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt have announced the discovery of over 800 ancient tombs, including some completely new finds. The newly found tombs are in a previously unknown cemetery were found near Lisht, a very important archaeological site.  They are an exciting discovery and are expected to help researchers to better understand the life of people in the Middle Kingdom period in Ancient Egypt. Lisht NecropolisLisht or El-Lish, is a small village due south of Cairo at Giza on the edge of the Sahara Desert. It was once the capital of the Middle…

Western civilization has always had a fascination with the civilization which grew up along the Nile River around 3,000 BC. Greek intellectuals, such as Thales, visited Egypt and were enamored by the design and mathematical exactness of the shape of the pyramids. For millennia, ancient Egypt has been considered synonymous with wisdom by the civilizations of the Mediterranean basin, but especially the West. One text that reveals an example of that wisdom is the Rhind papyrus, a document that appears to be an otherwise mundane primer on mathematics. But much of what scholars know of Egyptian mathematics comes from this…

Egypt historian uncovers ‘underground paradise’ 138 metres below Valley of the Kings KV17, located in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, is the tomb of the Pharaoh Seti I of the Nineteenth Dynasty. It was first discovered by Giovanni Battista Belzoni on October 16, 1817, but has been closed since the early 1960s due to significant damage to the structure. However, historian Bettany Hughes was granted special access during the filming of her Channel 5 show “Egypt’s Greatest Treasures”. She told viewers last month: “Hidden within this rocky terrain are 63 tombs and they’re just the ones that we have found so far. “They include the tombs…

(Inside Science) — NASA’s Rover Perseverance successfully landed on Mars on Feb. 18. The mission, called Mars 2020 and launched from U.S. soil in July 2020, is tasked with looking for signs of ancient life, collecting rock and soil samples, and exploring the use of technology for future robotic and human exploration.Researchers in Hawaii have already been working on projects to learn what would be necessary for humans to survive a long trip to Mars and maybe even live there someday. “So, according to the current timeline, humans on Mars is about 20 years in the future. A cynic would…

A little less than a 60 miles from the capital Budapest, located in the municipality of Egerszalók in the province of Heves, lies one of the most evocative wonders of Hungary. The terraced pools of Hungary are beautiful springs of thermal water, a natural phenomenon that mother nature has reserved for only two other places in the world: Pamukkale in Turkey and the Mammoth Hot Springs of Yellowstone National Park in the USA. The beneficial waters of Egerszalók are rich in calcium, sodium, magnesium and sulphur. They spring from a depth of 410 meters and reach temperatures of 65-68 degrees. Over time, the incessant flow of water…

Birding in South America can lead you to a plethora of beautiful bird species. Among those species is a vibrantly-colored bird and somewhat mysterious bird known as the Paradise Tanager. Not much is known about these beautiful birds of the rainforest, but we have put together as many facts about Paradise  Tanagers as we could find. FACTS ABOUT PARADISE TANAGERS As a native bird to South America, the Paradise Tanager is most commonly seen in the Northern section of the continent. Although these birds are pretty common in their native areas, they have not been heavily researched and scientists are…

Archeologists offered a first image of the site where 80 skeletons in a mᴀss grave with wrists clamped by iron shackles lie in an ancient Greek cemetery. The skeletal remains show the bodies were placed in a row upon death. The archaeologists team said that the fossils, which could dated from 632BC, were the result of a mᴀss execution. But how they got there, who they were and why they appear have been buried with a measure of respect is still a mystery. They were located in the Falyron Delta necropolis , a large ancient cemetery that was uncovered in the…

Mysteries of the Oort cloud at the edge of our solar system The entirely theoretical cloud of icy space debris marks the frontiers of our solar system. The Oort cloud represents the very edges of our solar system. The thinly dispersed collection of icy material starts roughly 200 times farther away from the sun than Pluto and stretches halfway to our sun’s nearest starry neighbor, Alpha Centauri. We know so little about it that its very existence is theoretical — the material that makes up this cloud has never been glimpsed by even our most powerful telescopes, except when some…

Ice holds evidence of ancient, massive solar storm An analysis of radioactive chemicals in ice cores indicates one of the most powerful solar storms ever hit Earth around 7176 B.C. (Inside Science) — For a few nights more than 9,000 years ago, at a time when many of our ancestors were wearing animal skins, the northern skies would have been bright with flickering lights. Telltale chemical isotopes in ancient ice cores suggest one of the most massive solar storms ever took place around 7176 B.C., and it would have been noticed. “We know that most high-energy events are accompanied…

King Tutankhamun’s outer coffin is being restored for the Grand Egyptian Museum’s opening in late 2020. The pharaoh’s tomb was restored earlier this year. From the time that King Tutankhamun’s body was placed, the outermost sarcophagus had never left the 3300-year-old tomb. Even in 1922, following the discovery of the tomb by the British archeologist Howard Carter, the outer coffin made from wood and gold stayed in the Valley of Kings — until now. An almost 10-year redevelopment of Tut’s tomb was completed in earlier this year by the Getty Conservation Institute and the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities. Now, The…