We've talked here before about the Office of Planetary Protection and efforts to make sure that we Earthlings don't contaminate the rest of the galaxy with our bacteria, viruses, and other assorted detritus. Now, some scientists are arguing that we've done this job too well, effectively barring ourselves from exploring the parts of Mars that are most likely to be hospitable to life precisely because they could also be hospitable to tagalong life from Earth.
Planetary overprotection: Have we made ourselves Mars' helicopter parents?
A "Game of Thrones style" wall of ice is on the move
An iceberg the size of Rhode Island is in motion. Dubbed "A23," the world's largest and oldest iceberg calved from Antarctica's Filchner Ice Shelf in 1986 but remained grounded until… READ THE REST
The Venezuelan lake with killer lightning
Where the Catatumbo River meets Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela, lightning strikes up to 300 times a year for as many as 9 hours a night. "Catatumbo Lightning," also known as… READ THE REST
Bad childhoods don't create comic book villians
A study of Marvel and DC comic book characters found no correlation between adverse childhood experiences and heroism or villainy. While the subject may seem unserious on its face, the… READ THE REST
Watching birds up close and personal
TL;DR: I usually bird-watch during the warmer months, but this solar-powered smart bird feeder has helped me see my favorite birds without leaving the house for $94.99 (reg. $149). I'm an avid… READ THE REST
This MacBook is less than $400
TL;DR: Save over 50% on this 2018 MacBook Pro that comes with a Touch Bar, 512GB of storage, and a 13.3-inch display. Did the holidays do some damage to your bank… READ THE REST
Two numbers, one phone, zero drama for $19.99
TL;DR: Keep your real number hidden with a lifetime subscription to Hushed Private Phone Line for only $19.99 with code SAVE20. Ever wished you had a second phone number without having to carry… READ THE REST
