Tired of snaring your Grandma with sob stories about deposed princes and their locked bank accounts, email scammers are branching out. Their new target: Academia. Researchers get invitations to a hot, new scientific conference and are asked to send their personal information in order to register. But when The Scientist checked up on the conferences, the location hadn't been booked, the named speakers didn't know anything about it and the organizer asking for info fell strangely silent. (Full story is free, but you may need to log in.)
Are Fake Academic Conferences the New Nigerian Prince Scam?
Spectacular selfie of NASA's Orion spacecraft, the Earth, and the Moon
NASA's Orion spacecraft captured his spectacular selfie from a distance of 268,563 miles from Earth, the farthest a spaceship built for humans has ever gone. The first mission in the Artemis program—which in 2025 (at the soonest) will return humans to the Moon for the first time since 1972—Orion traveled approximately more than 40,000 miles beyond… READ THE REST
Scientists finally discover why some poop floats and other sinks
When you poop, why do some feces float while others sink to the bottom of the toilet bowl? Researchers from the esteemed Mayo Clinic have just published a scientific paper answering this question. Apparently it was long thought that the secret was the amount of fat inside the particular sample. Nope! In the 1970s, scientists… READ THE REST
The fascinating, deadly pufferfish
Check out these cool photos of a pufferfish skeleton at Deep Sea News. Deep Sea News explains: What you are looking at are the spines of pufferfish, composed of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite, protein(collagen), and water—the same materials as scales. Indeed, these spines are just modified scales. And like other scales, these spines originate during development, from the mesoderm layer of the dermis or… READ THE REST
Missed Cyber Monday? You can still get this Microsoft Surface Pro 5 for $400
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. It's time for some holiday shopping, and if you're not doing it online, you'll be, well, in line. Since there aren't many folks who find hanging out at big box stores… READ THE REST
Cyber Monday Extended: Get a refurbished iPad Mini 4 for under $300
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. Tablets sit in an interesting segment. Larger than a smartphone but more portable than a laptop, they offer plenty of power for day-to-day tasks without consuming too much bag room. So if… READ THE REST
Cyber Monday Extended: Win big with two copies of The 2 Million Dollar Puzzle for $40
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. This year, instead of giving to others, it's time to think of yourself. You can't be reliant on your goodwill alone to feel fulfilled, and cash can usually fill that void… READ THE REST
