Earlier this week, scientists announced that they'd found evidence suggesting malaria-carrying mosquitoes are more attracted to the smell of human flesh than healthy mosquitoes. This research — which, I'm sure you'll agree, has some important implications — grew out of research that could be deemed very silly. In fact, this new finding was built on IgNobel-winning research published back in 1996, which found that malaria mosquitoes are attracted to the smell of stinky cheese.
Why science needs silly-sounding research
Age of Viking settlement revealed using trees and astrophysics
The Vikings reached North America long before Columbus' enslavement and brutalization of the Americas' Indigenous population, the Viking settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, was discovered six decades ago. Though many of the settlement's structures have been recreated, as accurately as dig site evidence and historical research could allow, the settlement's date has been difficult… READ THE REST
Survey finds 22% of scientists who do media interviews about COVID get violent threats
Nature surveyed 300 scientists who've done media interviews about COVID. The results had some surprisingly positive notes — 85% said "their experiences of engaging with the media were always or mostly positive, even if they were harassed afterwards". But as you might expect, a significant chunk described some ghastly abuse. Fully 15% got death threats,… READ THE REST
Solving the mystery of the boom that rocked New Hampshire on Sunday morning
On Sunday morning, residents of New Hampshire and parts of Massachusetts were rocked by a massive boom that shook homes in the region and understandably freaked people the hell out. Early theories that it was a supersonic aircraft or earthquake were quickly proven wrong. So what was it? Most likely a meteor exploded above New… READ THE REST
Save over $50 on this ultra-comfortable, high-tech sofa that massages your body
The pandemic has forced all of us to live with our decisions, which includes the type of furniture we're trapped indoors with. But if your furniture isn't helping you relax, do you truly own furniture, or is it just for show? If you're hunting for plush furniture that you can actually relax on after a… READ THE REST
Learn how to reach customers the right way with this $15 Google Ads marketing bootcamp
You can spend hours and hours creating blogs, promotional content, and fancy landing pages for your business. But if you're not reaching the right clientele, all this hard work can fall on deaf ears, or blind eyes, digitally speaking. But if you can't gain more customers, how do you expect your business to grow? Even… READ THE REST
Glide through the city with $400 off this electric skateboard
Bicycling through a crowded city and avoiding infuriating traffic is a blessing, that is until you realize just how cumbersome toting around and storing a bike can be. Alternatively, skateboards are an ideal size for zipping through side streets and hauling around, but they just don't have the "oomph" you need to get you around… READ THE REST
