Tag: strange
Black Hole Mergers Show Strange Mathematical Link to String Theory
Deep Math from String Theory Appears in Clashing Black Holes Researchers have shown that abstract mathematical functions from the frontiers of theoretical physics have a real-world use in modeling gravitational waves By Ramin Skibba edited by Lee Billings An illustration of two black holes about to merge and emitting copious gravitational waves. And as the…
This Strange Mutation Explains the Mystifying Color of Orange Cats
This Strange Mutation Explains the Mystifying Color of Orange Cats Your orange cat may host a never-before-seen genetic pathway for color pigmentation, according to new studies By Gayoung Lee edited by Lauren J. Young Cats are arguably perfect. At least, evidence suggests that felines, which have evolved with minimal variation and maximal efficiency, have reached…
Strange Formations on Venus Hint at Ongoing Geological Activity
By Elise Cutts edited by Lee Billings “Venus works differently than the Earth but not as different as what was originally assumed,” says the study’s co-lead author Anna Gülcher of the University of Bern in Switzerland. “We should think of tectonics as not just a black-and-white picture.” If you’re enjoying this article, consider supporting our…
The Strange and Surprising History of the Once-Rejected Zero
Zero Is Foundational to Modern Mathematics. But It Was Rejected for Centuries By Manon Bischoff edited by Daisy Yuhas I’m a zero at mental arithmetic. It’s true—I struggle with this skill—but I want to focus on the phrase itself. In our language, we often equate zero with something negative. But zero is the only real…
Helpless Orphan or Dangerous Adult: The Strange Tale of Natalia Grace
Michael Barnett accused Natalia Grace, the child he and now ex-wife Kristine adopted in 2010, of actually being a 20-year-old sociopath—but she’s always insisted she was just a kid. Critics had a good laugh when Orphan came out in 2009. A Bad Seed-style story about a family that adopts a Russian child with murderous tendencies, the big twist…
The strange story of how one researcher’s photo made it onto a banknote
Everyone has a hobby. Trond Larsen’s is photography. As the Rapid Assessment Program director at Conservation International, Larsen spends his days organizing international teams of scientists to find and document wildlife in far-flung locales. His camera goes with him to the wild, and his photos — predominantly of the animals he encounters in the field…