#Science | Smithsonian Magazine

[michaelise]

We Finally Know How Chameleons Change Their Color | Smart News| Smithsonian Magazine

#very cool #animals #reptiles #chameleons #panther chameleon #swiss scientists #smithsonian #smithsonian magazine #science #biology #article #read #♡

[typhlonectes]

The Surprise Reappearance of a Rare Frog Has Scientists Leaping to Protect Its Habitat

The marsupial frog, which incubates its young in a pouch on its back, was thought to be extinct in some countries.

With jaunty peaks sticking up from its eyelids that may help it camouflage as a dry leaf, the horned marsupial frog is “a fascinating creature that people can’t wrap their heads around,” says James Muchmore, founder of Save the Chocó, a conservation group dedicated to protecting this threatened region of Ecuadorean rainforest. Instead of laying thousands of eggs in water, like most frogs, female horned marsupial frogs produce only ten or fewer of the largest amphibian eggs in the world, at a whopping diameter of one centimeter. Males then fertilize these eggs and place them into a pouch on the mother’s back, which is what earns the species, and dozens of related frogs, the “marsupial” moniker. As the embryos grow, they develop structures similar to mammalian placentas through which their mother delivers oxygen, water and possibly nutrients. After about two months, horned marsupial frog eggs hatch as forest-ready froglets, skipping the tadpole stage. This remarkable adaptation frees them from the need to find ponds or streams for egg-laying. They spend their lives high in the trees of Central and South American rainforests, where the humid air is thought to keep their skin from drying out...

Read more: The Surprise Reappearance of a Rare Frog Has Scientists Leaping to Protect Its Habitat | Science | Smithsonian Magazine

#marsupial frog #frog #amphibian #herpetology #conservation #animals #nature #south america #central america

[blueiskewl]

Meteorite Iron Discovered in 3,000-year-Old Bronze Age Gold Hoard

New research reveals that two Bronze Age artifacts from the Treasure of Villena contain iron from a meteor that hit a million years ago.

In the ’60s, researchers discovered a trove of Bronze Age treasure in Villena, Spain. While most of the stunning bottles, bowls and bracelets are made of gold and silver, new research has revealed that some of them were forged from another material: iron from a meteor that struck Earth a million years ago.

According to a recent study published in the journal Trabajos de Prehistoria, researchers conducted tests on two of the artifacts—a bracelet and a hollow decorative sphere—made between 1400 and 1200 B.C.E.

The trove’s materials have long mystified researchers. After finding it on the Iberian Peninsula in 1963, archaeologist José María Soler García noted the presence of a “dark leaden metal” among the gold, per El País’ Vicente G. Olaya. The metal was “shiny in some areas, and covered with a ferrous-looking oxide that is mostly cracked.”

To determine the iron’s origins, researchers used mass spectrometry, a technique that measures a molecule’s mass-to-charge ratio. As Live Science’s Jennifer Nalewicki reports, this analysis revealed that the iron’s nickel composition resembles that of meteoritic iron. These items are the first artifacts made of meteoritic iron ever found in the Iberian Peninsula.

“Iron was as valuable as gold or silver, and in this case [it was] used for ornaments or decorative purposes,” study co-author Ignacio Montero Ruiz, a researcher at the Spanish National Research Council’s Institute of History, tells Smithsonian magazine.

The presence of such an “unusual raw material” suggests it was made by highly skilled metalworkers capable of “[developing] new technologies,” adds Montero Ruiz.

But iron is also quite different from more common materials such as copper, gold or silver. As Montero Ruiz says to Live Science, “People who started to work with meteoritic iron and later with terrestrial iron must [have had to] innovate.”

The study’s other co-authors are Salvador Rovira-Llorens of the National Archaeological Museum and Martina Renzi of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority. The trove is held by Villena’s Archaeological Museum, which says on its website that the 66 items are considered the “most important prehistoric treasure in Europe.” Still, the artifacts’ origins remain a mystery.

Montero Ruiz tells Smithsonian magazine that objects made from meteoritic iron are rare, and most known examples from this period are connected to eastern Mediterranean cultures. The treasure’s creators “probably had access to a fallen meteorite in the area that allowed them to discover the properties of this material and how to shape it,” he says.

Last year, research revealed that an arrowhead found in Switzerland was made from meteoritic iron. That artifact, however, dates to between 900 and 800 B.C.E.

Researchers also don’t know who owned the Villena treasure, though they think it would have belonged to a community rather than a single individual.

“These two pieces of iron had enormous value. For this reason, they were considered worthy of becoming part of this spectacular ensemble,” says Montero Ruiz, per El País. “Who manufactured them and where this material was obtained are still questions that remain to be answered.”

By Sonja Anderson.

#Meteorite Iron Discovered in 3000-year-Old Bronze Age Gold Hoard #Treasure of Villena #Bronze Age treasure #Bronze Age #gold #silver #ancient artifacts #history #history news #ancient history #archeology #ancient civilizations #ancient art

[herpsandbirds]

Was is the main factor in the restriction of animal size?

Biology, Food, Predators or a combination??

Dude, this is really not my field of expertise.

I'm really not an A&P zoologist. My Animal Anatomy and Physiology professor used to say that biology is engineering, which may or may not be helpful to your question. I imagine that the different needs and pre-existing engineering of certain animals has certain limits, I guess.

Here are some helpful articles:

Largest and heaviest animals - Wikipedia

How Big Can a Land Animal Get? | Science| Smithsonian Magazine

#animals

[austinkleon]

Scientifically, tears are divided into three different types, based on their origin. Both tears of grief and joy are psychic tears, triggered by extreme emotions, whether positive or negative. Basal tears are released continuously in tiny quantities (on average, 0.75 to 1.1 grams over a 24-hour period) to keep the cornea lubricated. Reflex tears are secreted in response to an irritant, like dust, onion vapors or tear gas.

The Microscopic Structures of Dried Human Tears | Science| Smithsonian Magazine

#tears #science #crying

[a-edgar-allan-hoe]

Fade Into You

ResidentEvil4Remake!Leon Kennedy x FemScientist/Pathologist/!Reader

Resident Evil x The Last of Us crossover

A/N: Just a little idea I had lying around. The timelines are a bit jumbled up since the Last of Us and Resident Evil take place in different eras so I made this story takes place in modern time so bear with me here. I hope y'all like it and let me know what you think! 💜

Summary: Imagine being a scientist set with the task of finding a cure for everything that has happened, assigned to return the world to how it once was only to become an assignment for someone else, an agent named Leon S. Kennedy tasked with making sure you are transported safely to your destination.

Warnings: language, some potential suggestive content, blood and gore and violence.

Notes: angst, some comfort and fluff and Leon’s terrible dad jokes and some trauma sprinkled in there.

Time. Time is a strange thing. Nonphysical and always there, always changing, from beginning to end. At the same time, it comes in cycles, repetitions and patterns. A metaphysical figment of creation, a concept constructed and molded to the understanding of the human species. An entity bigger than ourselves, spanning across millions of galaxies, and yet can fit within the palm of our hands. What is time, other than of what we know of it. Often times you found yourself wondering the same thing.

You don't know how long it has been since the outbreak, since the virus that started to plague the earth was first heard on the news, since well..........everything. So much has happened since, you had trouble remembering a lot of it, or any of it for that matter.

You used to work for the CDC, you still do, or what’s left of it, before you were taken against your will................there's not much left of anything anymore. Back then, you were the leading scientist in the department of Cancer Prevention and Control. 'New and upcoming young scientist leads the fight against cancer', titled the articles that were written about you, some of them far too promising and others harshly criticizing and objectifying. You're pretty sure you still have those articles stashed away somewhere, the good, the bad, and the ugly. What for? You’re not sure. Motivation perhaps, if there was any still left in you.

You were the best at your field, nearing a breakthrough for finding the ultimate cure for cancer that targeted the cells at the earliest and even latest stage, diminishing the illness completely as if it had never even existed in the host. You had even been featured on the cover of Life Magazine and the Smithsonian magazine for your work, the photos taken of you wearing your lab coat and standing over your microscope or interacting with your team and your patients. Boy was your father proud, his little girl on the verge of revolutionizing the medical world, he almost always had a hard time believing it, still picturing the day he held you bundled in his arms when you were first born. You were still ever his little girl to him. You could still remember the look on his face, the way he beamed when he found out, buying a copy of both those magazines just to frame it up on the wall as if there wasn’t already enough pictures of you and your little sister throughout your years.

You almost accomplished your mission, almost. You were close, so close. And then the virus took over, the Plagas and then the Cordyceps brain infection. Cancer became the least of worries.

Since the epidemic, you tried to save as much of your family photos as you could. After all, they were the only things left as a reminder of the past, of how things were. It's been so long the pictures almost don't seem real, like something created out of the mind of a delusionist, taken from of the pages of a science fiction novel, an imitation of an alternate reality. Never in you right mind did you think all those flesh-eating zombie movies you snuck out to watch with your sister at the local theater as a teen would feel more true to life than the actual past, the history of the human race.

Every night before you went to sleep, you'd pull out the storage box from under your bed, the one containing your family's photo albums, flipping through each page and staring at the photos of your parents and little sister as a way of forcing your brain to remember them. You believed this was your way of keeping them in your memory, recollecting the moment behind when each photograph was taken as if they were pieces of a broken vase meant to hold all that was you, pieces that sliced at you whenever you tried to put them back together. Truth was, you were afraid, desperate to cling on to the echo of their existence. And so you looked at those photos in a ritualistic manner, each and every night before bed. Truth is, you were starting to forget their faces, their voices, and you knew it.

In the beginning there were many; scientists, doctors, or pathologists or whatever you wanna call them, working on the task that was given to you by the government, each and every one of them fighting for a life of their own and the lives of many. Now they were just names on the diplomas that hung in their offices, names printed under an achievement of the institution they attended, just pieces of paper left to gather dust and be forgotten. Sometimes you wondered if you were the only one left; in your state, your country, the world? Who knows. In the building you worked, there used to be seven, then there were six, then five, then four…………….now there was only you.

Time seems to be nonexistent to you. The clocks on your walls meant nothing, nothing more than some numbers and a bunch of little gears that turn the hands to display the hour. A symbol of endless nothingness. The white walls of the building you worked in were just a place that they happened to hang on. And god you hated those white walls. You’ve lost count of the days you spent locked up within them, with nothing to keep you company except for the lab rats and your own thoughts. It's a wonder you didn't lose your sanity. A time came when you’d question if you’d ever see another human again. It seems as if your prayers were answered.

You were currently sat on the makeshift bed of a small base hideout, staring ahead at the fabric of the military tent that blew slightly against the wind, the makeshift tent that you stayed in after you were rescued, if you would call it that. Being the only woman at a base full of military men had its own fears, and you'd almost rather be out with the infected than here. You don’t know what it’s like anymore, being free I mean, you only remember being held hostage, held in one place to work for the government only to be taken away to work for another before being taken again for your so-called expertise, like an almost endless cycle, as if you were some goods that needed to be traded off and transported from one destination to another until you could no longer be of use.

You couldn't remember much after you were taken by the cult in an attempt to bring back Umbrella Corp or whatever they wished to call themselves, the memory of it all was still as fuzzy as when you first arrived under their "management". Now what would you even call your current circumstance? A formal and civil hostage situation under the label of U.S. personnel? You were only being held for the time being before being sent back to the states to work for whatever was left of the government. And as much as you wanted to go back home, or what's left of it if we're being honest, you've only heard of how worse it has gotten since you left.

“Y/l/n.” One of the soldiers called for you as he opened the flap entrance to your tent, his form casting a shadow across the floor in front of you. “It’s time.”

You gave the soldier a quick nod, grabbing your backpack from the floor and the small pocket knife that you kept under your pillow, stuffing the folded blade in the back pocket of your jeans as you got up and walked out of your tent. You followed the soldier as he led you through the open area where other soldiers were gathered, some of them standing guard, some eating their meals and others standing around leisurely as they conversed with each other. You could feel their eyes on you, watching you tag behind the soldier that was in front of you as he led you to the bigger tent on the other side of the field, the tent where the officers and higher ups held their meetings to discuss important matters.

You heard some voices coming out from inside the tent, two to be exact, discussing something important apparently. It’s all they ever did around here. And as you stepped in after the soldier, you saw the colonel speaking to a man you had never seen before. Tall, blond hair, wearing civilian yet practical clothes with tactical gear over it, unlike everyone else here who donned the military uniforms. He's definitely not military-

“Sir-“ the soldier that led you spoke, alerting the colonel of your presence.

“Ah. There you are.” The colonel turned towards you with a smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling from his old age as he gestured you over to where he stood at the table that was stationed dead center of the larger tent. “Was beginning to think you wouldn’t show.”

You looked between the two men across from you in the tent once the soldier that was by you had left, allowing you a better view as you only watched with slight uncertainty before approaching the officer. The man whom you did not recognize had looked your way as well, his face not showing a single shift in emotion upon your arrival, but you had managed to notice the slight curious quirk of his brow at seeing you. Who the hell was he?

“Say hello to your assignment,” the colonel gestured towards you as he spoke to the blond man. God you hated being called that, assignment. “Dr. y/n y/l/n."

“Leon S. Kennedy.” The man outstretched his hand, to which you stared at with the blankest look possible.

"............Pleasure." You gave the man a short smile, completely disregarding his offer for a handshake before turning to the older officer and pulling him aside as if the young man wasn’t even present in the first place, watching from the side of your eye as he awkwardly pulled his hand back, a look of hidden puzzlement on his face. You didn't want to seem rude but this was not what you had signed up for, being alone for who knows how long with a man you absolutely did not know.

“Agent Kennedy here is to ensure that you are transported and arrived safely to your destination.” The colonel answered after seeing the silent but scrutinizing look on your face.

So an agent huh. He’s probably as stuck up as the rest of those shit heads you've had to come across. Agent or not, who's to say he isn't like the others.

“What does that have to do with me?"

"Well he's been hired as your bodyguard."

You tried your best not to laugh. "What, some washed up reject of the Backstreet Boys?” You lowered your voice, knowing damn well the agent a few feet away from you could hear everything.

Leon couldn’t help but cock his head back with a slight scoff, not sure if he should be offended by your insult or impressed by the creativity behind it.

“Agent Kennedy is the best in his field. And our job is to make sure you end up safe back in America. I’m afraid you’re much too valuable to be left to wander back on your own.”

You let out a small huff, crossing your arms over your chest with a stern look of contemplation as you eyed the ground beneath your feet before finally folding. He had a point there, it was dangerous out there. But who's to say you should trust him? You had trouble trusting anyone for that matter. "Do you trust the guy?" You looked up at the colonel, knowing better than to trust a man's word but who else was there. There wasn't really anyone here to protect you but yourself.

"Agent Kennedy is a good man, reliable, I assure you."

You don't know that. "............then I suppose I have no choice but to take your word then." You sighed, knowing there wasn't really a way out of this.

“Good. Go easy on him alright.” The colonel straightened up, placing his hand on the back of your shoulder as he led you back to where the other man stood.

"Agent Kennedy, I trust you'll keep Miss y/l/n here safe."

"Yes sir." Leon nodded his head, attempting to send you a kind smile as if to say you were in good hands but you only stared off into the distance, still unhappy with the decision made. As long as it meant you went back home. Home. Jesus. You don't even know what was awaiting you there.

"She can be quite stubborn at times but you'll get used to it." The older officer added with a chuckle to which you shot back with a quick glare.

"Well that's fine by me." Leon smiled. "I'm a patient man." If only he knew how much you were going to drive him up the wall.

"Well here is the location where she needs to be dropped off." The officer handed Leon a piece of paper. If you have any questions, you know who to call."

"Copy that."

"Can I have a handgun-"

"No." The colonel was quick to interrupt your question. "That won't be necessary."

"Fine." You mumble to yourself. "Guess I'll just use my butter knife then."

Leon quietly watched the interaction between the two of you, slowly getting a clue about the personality of who he was going to be spending the upcoming days with, and he wasn't quite sure how to feel about it. He too would have opted for the same response as the colonel since you didn't look like the type to have ever fired a gun, much less used any weapon at all. And what exactly did you mean by butter knife? Should he be worried?

"Well you'd better get going, you don't want to be traveling at night, not with what's out there."

"Yes sir." Leon nodded his head at the colonel before heading out of the tent.

You turned to follow the tall blond but were stopped by the officer who held his hand up. "Not just yet. I have something here for ya."

You watched as the colonel pulled out a large black case, clicking open the clasps before opening it to reveal a hunting rifle nestled safely inside.

"I thought you said I couldn't have a gun."

"No, I said you couldn't have a handgun."

The colonel stepped aside, allowing you room to take a step closer to examine the rifle better. Was that? You'd recognize that wooden stock anywhere.

"My dad's rifle. How?"

"Had someone retrieve it from your old place. I'm guessing you know how to use it, judging from the way you recognized it so quickly."

"I-Thank you....sir."

"Just make sure you get your ass back to the lab in one piece." The colonel pulled the rifle out from the case before handing it to you, along with a box of some ammo.

"Of course." You sent the colonel a short smile, putting the box of ammo into your backpack before taking the rifle from his hands, feeling the weight of the thing within your grasp, recognizing each scuff mark and scratch that lined the wooden body, the little signs of wear and tear caused by your own clumsiness, each of them reminding you of the times spent with your father at the range when he taught you how to use the thing. It even smelled of him, after all this time. If you weren’t in a public setting you would have curled up into a ball and cried, holding the rifle close to your frame as if it were the remnants of your father, the man who raised and protected you for the majority of your life. And in a way, it was.

"Stay safe out there kid."

“Sure thing.” You gave a nod, slinging the strap of the rifle over your shoulder as you pushed the memories and emotions away, heading over to the entrance of the tent until the colonel called out again.

“Hey kid.”

“Yeah?” You turned back to face the older gentleman. It wasn’t long, the time that you’ve known him, but he seemed to be the only one that looked out for you, the only one that stood up for you when the other soldiers harassed you and uttered vulgar things in your direction.

“Try not to get separated from Agent Kennedy.”

“Can’t promise that.” You turned back around, raising your hand to send him a wave goodbye before pushing aside the flap of the entrance and stepping out into the sunlight. Well, this is it. Another day, another journey.

You were met outside of the tent with Agent Kennedy, who seemed to have been waiting outside the whole time, hopefully not eavesdropping, not that there was anything important or personal said back there but you just didn’t like people listening in on your conversations.

Straightening up, Leon gave a quick glance over your form before eyeing the rifle on your back. That definitely was not there before. “Where the hell did you get that thing?"

Christ this man talks too damn much and you just met him.

Rolling your eyes, you ignored his question, or rather his whole presence as you headed towards the truck that was set out for you. As much as you didn't want to be rude, you were anxious to get the hell out of this place and return to a place that you at least knew.

“Never mind I guess.” Leon muttered to himself before trying to catch up with you ahead. Jesus you walked with purpose.

Opening up the passenger door of the truck, you threw your backpack and rifle in the backseat before seating yourself in the passenger seat, putting on your seatbelt as you watched Leon walk up to the truck, still a couple feet away.

“Can this dude be any slower?” You muttered under your breath with a roll of your eyes, propping your elbow up on the door window as you stared out of it.

“Someone’s eager to get out of here.” Leon chuckled at the way you had situated yourself so quickly along with the obvious impatient expression that sat on your face as he opened the driver door before getting in himself, putting the keys into the ignition to start the car.

“So uh..........” Leon adjusted the rear view mirror before placing a hand on the back of your seat as a way to back the car out of the parking spot while you only studied his movements from the corner of your eye before glancing out the widow again. Why did you have a gut feeling this guy wasn’t the best driver. “where to huh? My place or yours?” Leon cracked a smug grin, hoping to lighten the mood judging from the unease you must have felt to be left with a complete stranger but quickly changing his mind after seeing the absolute foul, confidence-shattering side-eye that you just threw him.

If this man doesn't shut up-

"Right-" Leon cleared his throat, his expression changing back to his usual resting one as he looked back ahead, changing the gear to reverse as he backed out of the parking spot. Not even a minute with you and he could already tell you were going to be a blast to be around. You were the complete opposite of Ashley. And as much as he preferred a quiet atmosphere, he'd rather take his chances with Ashley all over again.

Some silence had passed between the two of you once you hit the road and left the base behind, the only sounds being the humming of the car and the wind outside. The drive was scenic in a way, if it were not for the situation at hand. But watching the trees and landscape blur by through the car window almost reminded you of the drives you went on with your father and sister, transporting you back to the road trips where the three of you would listen to the radio while fighting over who's turn it was to play the next song.

You missed your father softly singing along to his music that you at one time used to be annoyed by, your sister and you referring to his taste in music as the "Ancient Ballads of Babylon". And oh how he used to get defensive over it, calling it the "good stuff unlike todays junk", though he was never able to hide back the smile from your little slanders. What you would do to listen to his music again, to be in his truck sitting in the passenger seat reading a book before crawling to the backseat to take a nap with your sister, her head resting on your lap while your rested yours against the window.

Due to how quiet you were, Leon couldn't help but to glance over in your direction to make sure you were still alive, noticing the way you had become lost in thought, your gaze seeming to reach miles away. His eyes traced down to the subtle movement of your hands, watching how your fingers toyed with the dainty beaded bracelet that sat at your right wrist. There were a couple white beads situated together, printed with small black letters that formed a word, or rather a name, but before he could have a chance at reading what it was, you had noticed him looking, causing you to swiftly pull the sleeve of your loose sweater over your wrist. The sudden movement from you had caused Leon to clear his throat as he snapped his head back to the road, as if embarrassed at being caught before clearing his throat. "So uh, are you some bigwig's daughter? The president had requested you specifically."

The president? There was still a president? Well shit.

"Look. I'm just trying to know what I'm dealing with here." Leon put his hand up in defense after the annoyed expression you gave him.

You shook your head lightly at his behavior, heaving out a released breath as you propped your arm up once more, resting your head against your hand and discretely wiping away the tear that was starting to fall down the corner of your eye.

"Doctor huh. What are you, UCLA grad? You strike me as a LA city kind of girl-"

"Harvard." You interrupted.

"So you do speak." Leon shot you a quick smirk, surprised at your sudden input before staring back at the road. "Thought it was just me but....looks like I struck a nerve here. Sooo......Harvard huh? You must be pretty brainy then, surviving a med school like that."

"............" Dear god please.

"You know, you look a little young to be a doctor."

Geez, if that isn't the first time you've heard that one. You wished the man would just shut up and focus on the road. You swore that if he somehow ended up sending the car off a cliff you were going to personally strangle the blond yourself. Actually, come to think of it, if he talked any more you just might take the wheel and drive off a cliff yourself.

"I take it you're not much of a talker." Leon commented on the way you so obviously tried to ignore him. Jesus, did he rub you the wrong way or what. Or was it just the Ivy League attitude? He had heard the talk amongst his old colleagues back at the station about the Ivy League folk that would sometimes come through the town. Overly-educated and stuck up, some of the officers would call them.....if you consider calling someone overly-educated an insult. Perhaps this was what they meant? Seems like you didn't want to even be associated within the same proximity as him.

Rolling your eyes, you twisted around in your seat to reach for your bag, pulling it onto your lap and opening up the zipper before digging into the contents inside.

Leon watched you with curiosity, opening his mouth to ask just what it was you were up to before seeing you pull out a pair of headphones and a portable CD player that looked like you stole right out of the 90s. Keeping the backpack on your lap, you slipped the headphones onto your head, pressing play on the device before pulling your feet up onto the seat and turning towards the window so that your back faced the man in the driver seat.

Leon couldn't help but to shake his head with a light chuckle, taking this as a sign to shut the hell up and let you be in your own little bubble. Maybe you’re just shy. Or maybe you just don’t like him. Or maybe you’ve been through a lot. Who knows.

You watched the trees once more, listening to the song that played through the speakers of your headphones, Fade Into You by Mazzy Star, letting the soft tunes soothe your nerves. And as much as you tried to force yourself to stay awake in order to stay alert for your own safety, you couldn’t help the drowsiness that took over you. The music playing through your headphones, the blur of the trees out the window, and the subtle vibration of the moving car only added to that effect. And slowly, you let yourself slip, your eyelids growing heavy as you finally shut your eyes.

The drive had felt like hours for Leon, but he didn't mind as much. In fact, this was sort of relaxing, just driving, listening to music he enjoyed as it played softly from the radio, the volume lowered as means to not disturb you. This mission was turning out to be less stressful than the others. Or maybe he shouldn't speak too soon.

The young agent would occasionally find himself glancing over in your direction, perhaps to make sure you were okay and weren't dead. He had a bad habit of making sure the people under his care were alive and well and not breathing their last breath….if you would call that a bad habit. As much as this man hides it behind his cold exterior, I am positive he is just as panicky as the rest of us.

Your lack of movement had started to worry the blond, seeing that you have stayed in that position for a couple hours now as he began to wonder just what the hell you could have been doing the whole time in order to stay in the same exact position. (He has his himbo moments.) But the slow shifting of your form had relieved the young man as he watched you turn over on your other side to now face him, getting a glimpse of your closed lids behind the strands of your loose hair that almost covered the look of calm on your face, hearing the small moan that came from your chest in your state of sleep as you shifted around while your brows furrowed together at the center in a look that he could only describe as discomfort from your curled up position on the passenger seat.

One thing he had noticed though, if he listened close enough, he could hear the slight and faint whistle of the air rushing through your nostrils each time you breathed, a sign that usually meant a deviated septum. He didn’t know why, but that tiny detail had somehow set his mind at ease…something so insignificant…so barely noticeable unless you really paid attention to it…almost as if it had made you more human. And the thought of it was comforting to him.

As he looked over your sleeping form, he couldn’t help but to take note of the details that made you: of your hair that looked as if it had not been brushed through, or the dark circles under your eyes, or the little bump on your nose at the bridge, or the faint signs of hyperpigmentation and small little acne scars that lined certain areas of your face, or the light dust of freckles on your nose that were barely visible unless you really took a closer look. Even down to your wardrobe, your oversized navy blue v-neck sweater and the white tee you wore underneath, and your loose-fitted jeans, and your worn in black doc martens. Leon did not know how to describe it, but there was something comforting about you, something that made him feel…at ease. And maybe…just maybe, this mission might not be as bad as he once thought.

Part 2?

#resident evil leon #leon kennedy #leon kennedy x oc #leon kennedy x y/n #leon kennedy x reader #leon kennedy x you #leon kennedy x fem reader #leon kennedy imagine #leon kennedy fluff #leon kennedy fanfic

[okayto]

What did you uncover about people turning their PhD theses into dances? The very concept is lighting up all of the endorphins in my nerdy, movement dramaturgy loving brain!!?!

Oh, I'm so glad you asked because I actually meant to post more back when I discovered it and then my life derailed for a while.

Anyway, I discovered it via this Smithsonian Magazine article about this year's big winner, a very fun and well-produced video about kangaroo sociability and personalities told via a variety of dance genres, but I shared the runner-up (a fantastically vintage style of silent film about invasive moths in Maine).

The contest has been running for 16 years and counting, and the rules really boil down to "have or be working on a Ph.D. in a science-related field, dance about it, and upload it to Youtube." Yes, seriously. They even have some filming tips on their website.

The most frustrating thing about it, to me, is that with the exception of 2015 and 2016, I can't find good playlists of each year's entries, or even the top winners/honorees from each year? (At least, not labeled correctly. There are a ton of "Dance your PhD" playlists that don't specify years I haven't looked through yet.) Seems like an oversight. But I can find online articles about winners with links and embedded videos, so that's close:

2011 (blog)

2013 (Smithsonian Mag)

2014 (Smithsonian Mag)

2015 (Smithsonian Mag)

2017 (Smithsonian Mag)

2018 (Science Mag; sometimes paywalled)

2021 (NPR with link to Science Mag)

2022 (Science Mag)

2023 (Science Mag)

It's FANTASTIC and very cool and I look forward to going through many videos and learning about sciencey things that are completely new to me.

#ask

[coochiequeens]

Women’s history just richer.

Since its discovery in 2008, the skeleton of a high-ranking individual buried inside a tomb in the Iberian Peninsula between 3,200 and 2,200 years ago was thought to be the remains of a man. However, a new analysis reveals that this person was actually a woman.

Archaeologists in Spain dubbed the woman the "Ivory Lady" based on the bounty of grave goods found alongside her skeleton, including an ivory tusk surrounding her skull, flint, an ostrich eggshell, amber and a rock crystal dagger, according to a study published Thursday (July 6) in the journal Scientific Reports. For more than a decade, archaeologists believed that this individual was a man, even nicknaming him the "Ivory Merchant."

The first anthrological report determined that the individual was most likely male based on an analysis of the pelvis," study co-author Leonardo García Sanjuán, a professor of prehistory at the University of Seville in Spain, told Live Science. Because the skeleton's pelvic region wasn't well preserved, this new group of researchers used a different method to analyze the remains: They conducted an amelogenin peptide analysis of the skeleton's tooth enamel to see if it contained the AMELX gene, which is located on the X chromosome (one of the two sex chromosomes found in humans), according to a statement. They detected AMELX after testing two of the teeth. "This analysis told us precisely that the skeleton was female," García Sanjuán said.

A selection of grave goods buried with the Ivory Lady.

(Image credit: Miriam Lucianez Trivino)

While not much is known about who this woman was, the archaeologists think that at one time, she was the "highest-ranked person" in this particular society, García Sanjuán said. "During this time period, we were starting to see new forms of leadership in Western European societies," he said. "She was a leader who existed before kings and queens, and her status wasn't inherited, meaning that she was a leader based on her personal achievements, skills and personality." Her tomb is a rare example of a single-occupancy burial in this region, which provides further evidence of her high status during the Iberian Copper Age (2900 B.C. to 2650 B.C.). "The burial is special because it contains only one individual and isn't a [mass grave] with commingled bones," he said. "When we compared the grave goods with our database [of more than 2,000 grave sites in the area], we can clearly see that this woman stood head and shoulders above other individuals in terms of wealth and social status."

For instance, a nearby lavish Copper Age tomb holds the remains of at least 15 women; this grave may have been constructed to hold individuals who claimed descent from the Ivory Lady, the researchers said. Other burials in southern Spain, particularly of infants interred without grave goods, further reveals that during the Copper Age birthright didn't determine social status. The location of her tomb also provides insight into the ancient society that once resided there, according to the study. "In the last 15 years we've come to learn that this site was important and was the largest civilization site in Iberia," he said. "We think that this was a central gathering place that connected people from afar. It makes full sense that the Ivory Lady would be buried here."

This isn't the first time archaeologists have assigned a skeleton the wrong biological sex. "There have been other instances in which buried individuals were classified as male or female based on the assumptions of certain grave goods being given to men and women," he said. "This is a poor scientific practice and a cautionary tale."

Jennifer Nalewicki Live Science Staff Writer

Jennifer Nalewicki is a Salt Lake City-based journalist whose work has been featured in The New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine, Scientific American, Popular Mechanics and more. She covers several science topics from planet Earth to paleontology and archaeology to health and culture. Prior to freelancing, Jennifer held an Editor role at Time Inc. Jennifer has a bachelor's degree in Journalism from The University of Texas at Austin.

#The Copper Age #Spain #Women in history #DNA #Bias in archeology #Ivory Lady #Scientific Reports

[knowlesian]

“Discovery Channel’s ‘Shark Week’ Is Packed With Misinformation and Junk Science

Scientists watched 202 episodes and found them filled with unreliable information and white male experts named ‘Mike’”

i want to buy whoever wrote this headline for the smithsonian magazine a drink

#they are right and they should say it #lowkey catty and deeply accurate: the sweet spot #also yeah i know i know “but shark week is fun” 1: i would argue no it’s not and it hasn’t been for ages 2: sharks are cool as fuck #shark week kind of just exists to be sensationalist clickbait tv and sharks have bad enough pr as it is

[whitequeen-ofrohan]

Crazy Little Thing Called...Love: my Queen thoughts (masterlist)

Constantly updated...

Queen

My safe place

Montreux (30-31 Jan/ 1 Feb, 2023) part one

Montreux (30-31 Jan/ 1 Feb 2023) part two

Montreux (30-31 Jan/ 1 Feb 2023) part three

Montreux (30-31 Jan/ 1 Feb 2023) part four

Montreux (30-31 Jan/ 1 Feb 2023) part five

Proud Galleries (Queen Will Rock in 3D, London - 8/8/23)

White Queen (As It Began) - my favourite song

Why I love Queen so much

"You know me and I know you" Queen -related

Backs & shoulders and many feelings

My safe haven - four beautiful creatures

Missing you, thinking of you

My birthday - Queen Unseen in Rome (30/01/2024)

Happy 50th birthday Queen II

Freddie

24/11/22

No-one but You (anniversary)

Freddie's Tribute Concert (anniversary)

Freddie Mercury - A World of His Own (Sotheby's, London - 9/8/23) part one

Freddie Mercury - A World of His Own (Sotheby's, London - 9/8/23) part two

Freddie Mercury - A World of His Own (Sotheby's, London - 9/8/23) part three

Freddie's 77th b-day

Freddie Mercury - A World of His Own (Sotheby's, London- 9/8/23) part four

Freddie Mercury - A World of His Own (Sotheby's, London - 9/8/23) part five

Freddie and flowers

Freddie Mercury - A World of His Own - Sotheby's magazine

I miss you, Freddie - anniversary of Freddie's passing

Brian

SIGFY

Meeting (London, Proud Galleries - 9/12/22) part one

Meeting (London, Proud Galleries - 9/12/22) part two

Bri-day (Star Fleet) part one

Bri-day (Star Fleet) part two

Bri's 76th b-day

Bri-day (Star Fleet) part three

Sorry, I wasn't listening. I was thinking about Brian May.

Back To The Light - 2023 anniversary

Reiterating that Brian means the entire galaxy to me

When science and music collide - Bri on the National Geographic Italia

Breathtaking Bri... but (also) in space

I see curls... everywhere - Peter Hince's picture

A source of inspiration... & much more - picture by The Smithsonian

One year ago, today - December 9th

Roger

Rog's 74th b-day

Deacy

Deacy's 72th b-day Deacy joins Queen - anniversary

Queen + Adam Lambert

Queen + Adam Lambert - Bologna, 10/7/22

Queen + Adam Lambert - The North American tour kicks off

Queen + Adam Lambert - The North American tour, day one - Baltimore

Brian & Roger, brothers...forevermore - Queen + Adam Lambert edition

#music #queen #queen band #brian may #freddie mercury #john deacon #roger taylor #rock and roll #masterlist #stream of consciousness #literature #thoughts #writing #queen and adam lambert #queen + adam lambert

[madamlaydebug]

There are genetic and fossil evidence that suggests that the earliest modern human species – otherwise known as Homo Sapiens – evolved from Africa over 200,000 years ago.

Presently, research spearheaded by author Vanessa Hayes, a geneticist at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the University of Sydney in Australia has produced data that they believe is able to pinpoint exactly where in Africa these homo-sapiens originated (Chan et al., 2019). This research was conducted through genetic tracing of the ‘Eve Gene’ otherwise known as one of the oldest DNA lineages on Earth.

Scientifically, they are a collection of genes called ‘L0’ which are passed down maternally through mitochondria – also known as ‘the powerhouse of the cell’ – small bean-shaped structures in our cells that convert food into energy used for powering bodily functions and biochemical reactions that keep us alive (MitoQ, 2019). It is important to note that mitochondria have their own DNA that carry this particular ‘Eve’/L0 genome. This more commonly termed as mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA).

It is thus nicknamed the ‘Eve Gene’ as it is an inherited gene, paying reference to the story of creation in Genesis, the first chapter of the Bible. The story of creation describes Eve as first woman on earth, therefore in essence she would be the mother to us all. However, this has not been scientifically proven therefore, the term is used only to refer to the most recent female genetic ancestor of a species.

Biologically, 50% of any humans’ DNA is inherited from their mother and the other 50% from their father. However mitochondrial DNA is inherited solely from your mother and can remain unchanged for tens of thousands of years (Specktor, 2019). It is a unique genetic code that is passed down for generations. This characteristic has proved to be extremely useful for research, as mtDNA can be used a biomarker (proof of biological process in the body) to trace back the matrilineal history of our species.

For clarification, the Eve Gene does not necessarily reference the first female human or of any species, but it is more accurately used to refer to the most historically recent female from which humans can trace their ancestry. Whilst currently the genome can only be traced to one female, this does not mean that no other female predates her or there are none that may have lived at the same time as her. There are a variety of reasons why the genetic lineage can only be traced to this one particular female; for example, she may have been the only one with surviving female children that would have been able to pass on her mtDNA (Learn, 2016).

The data extracted from this research after studying the genomes of over 1,200 Africans have pinpointed an area called Makgadikgadi in present-day Botswana (Southern Africa) as modern humans’ ancestral homeland and concluded that mitochondrial Eve and her descendants lived in this region for about 30,000 years, 200,000-170,000 years ago before the L0 lineage split into its first subgroup and further subgroups in order to create the variety and diversity of humanity we see today (Specktor, 2019).

Bibliography

https://shadesofnoir.org.uk/the-eve-gene/

Chan, E.K.F., Timmermann, A., Baldi, B.F., Moore, A.E., Lyons, R.J., Lee, S.-S., Kalsbeek, A.M.F., Petersen, D.C., Rautenbach, H., Förtsch, H.E.A., Bornman, M.S.R. and Hayes, V.M. (2019). Human origins in a southern African palaeo-wetland and first migrations. Nature, [online] 575(7781), pp.185–189. Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1714-1 [Accessed 25 Mar. 2020].

Learn, J.R. (2016). No, a Mitochondrial “Eve” Is Not the First Female in a Species. [online] Smithsonian Magazine. Available at: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/.../no-mitochondrial-eve.../ [Accessed 25 Mar. 2020].

MitoQ (2019). What are Mitochondria? [online] www.mitoq.com. Available at: https://www.mitoq.com/blog/science/what-are-mitochondria [Accessed 25 Mar. 2020].

Specktor, B. (2019). Scientists Think They’ve Found “Mitochondrial Eve’s” First Homeland. [online] livescience.com. Available at: https://www.livescience.com/mitochondrial-eve-first-human... [Accessed 25 Mar. 2020].

[michaelise]

We Finally Know How Chameleons Change Their Color | Smart News| Smithsonian Magazine

#very cool #animals #reptiles #chameleons #panther chameleon #swiss scientists #smithsonian #smithsonian magazine #science #biology #article #read #♡

[typhlonectes]

Eight Menacing Saber-Toothed Creatures That Stalked the Earth Long Ago

From before the dinosaurs to the Ice Age, several mammals and their forerunners sported the iconic, curved teeth

Evolution has a fondness for saber-toothed creatures. Time and again, animals with elongated canine teeth have roamed the planet. The ferocious Smilodon of the Ice Age is among the most famous: a lion-sized cat with huge fangs that hunted ancient horses and bison across the Americas. But that’s only the tip of a saber-toothed history going back more than 250 million years. Most of the time, paleontologists use the term “saber-toothed” for carnivorous mammals who use long, flattened canine teeth to puncture or shear away the flesh of other creatures. But the designation isn’t quite so simple. Other mammals and even proto-mammals have been called saber-toothed even though they’re herbivores, using very similar teeth to tussle with each other rather than bite into prey. On that score, there are technically still some saber-toothed animals around today. Male musk deer compete with each other every mating season by fighting with their fangs...

Read more: Eight Menacing Saber-Toothed Creatures That Stalked the Earth Long Ago | Science| Smithsonian Magazine

#evolution #prehistoric #science #animals #zoology #nature

[lboogie1906]

Ann Marie Brown Fudge (born April 23, 1951) in DC to Malcolm R. Brown, an administrator at the US Postal Service, and Bettye Lewis Brown, a manager at the National Security Agency.

She married Richard Fudge, Sr. (1971) an educational and training consultant. They have two sons. She received a BA in Retail Management from Simmons College and earned her MBA from Harvard University Business School.

She was the workforce specialist with the General Electric Company. he worked with General Mills Corporation in several leadership positions including marketing assistant, assistant product manager, product manager, and marketing director. She joined Kraft General Foods where she was associate director of strategic planning. She became vice president for marketing and development in the Dinners and Enhancers division at Kraft. She received the Black Achievers Award from the Harlem YMCA.

She was named by Kraft Foods president of the Maxwell House Coffee division, she became the first African American woman to head a corporate division. She was named by Fortune magazine as 30th on the 50 Most Influential Women in American Business. Adelphi University, Howard University, Marymount College, and Simmons College all awarded her an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.

She was the chairman and CEO of Young and Rubicam Advertising in New York City. She became a member of the Board of Trustees at Morehouse College, as well as a Trustee with the Rockefeller Foundation.

She was a member of the Barack Obama presidential campaign’s finance committee and was named by President Obama to the 18-member National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.

She joined the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. She served on the boards of directors of General Electric, Novartis, and Unilever. She served as chair of the US Programs Advisory Board of The Gates Foundation and as vice-chair of the Harvard Board of Overseers. She was installed in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She serves on the Advisory Board of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture in the District of Columbia. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[realjaysumlin]

The Mystery of Human Blood Types | Science| Smithsonian Magazine

The stupid belief in scientific racism is the biggest scam outside of religion because most of the human population believes in the biggest lies being mistaken for truth because people can see the outward appearance rather than looking at the human makeup in the lens of a microscope.

Even those of us who use the microscope are as blinded by their beliefs that they too buy into the idea of colorism and this is very dangerous because this is certain death for most humans and it's easier to cover up due to the belief that humans are a separate race because of the race science ideology.

Our blood types came from apes in Africa and this proves that we evolved without any doubt and yet most people believe we were created by some man who doesn't exist and never had. Our sun created life on earth with the chemicals that were mixed from water.

We all were once fish in water this is why the African Egyptians used the fish symbol to represent humans, which later became a symbol of the Christian world. Please educate yourself because this information is in its abundance if you know how to do proper research and this is to cross referencing everything until you find a conclusion without prejudice, opinions or carrying any personal biases.

Challenge your beliefs to prove you wrong if you are looking for something to support your own beliefs, remove yourself before you start doing anything, you would get to the truth better.

#black love #black positivity #black africans #black history #science #evolution #science side of tumblr

[hqsenvs3000w24]

"wood-wide network"

I've read some great blog posts from classmates about the coolest things they know about nature. After taking a few minutes to ponder it, I found myself looking at the trees around me and remembered learning some cool things about trees. 

The most amazing thing that I know about nature is that trees can communicate with each other. Trees in every forest are connected to each other by underground fungal networks. In the sciences, these are referred to as mycorrhizal networks.  Using these networks, trees can share water and nutrients in addition to communicating. These networks are often used to send signals regarding drought or disease. Those signals can be chemical, hormonal or slow-pulsing electrical signals (Grant, 2018). In these forested ecosystems, you will also find mother trees, which are the oldest and largest trees in the area. These trees can draw water and nutrients up from deeper soils making them available for younger, more shallow rooted seedlings (Grant, 2018). 

The first time I heard about this was during my time at SOES. I was out on a hike with a group of students and the specialist leading us stopped at one point to discuss it. He gathered the students up and asked them to find the biggest tree in the area. Once they had located the tree, Richard started to explain how that one tree was helping all the other trees around us through this underground network. It was very interesting to hear it told as more of a story instead of just spitting out the scientific facts. I found that the students were more engaged, and they also had the opportunity to ask questions. 

Simard (2018) presents evidence that these mycorrhizal networks act in a similar way to neural networks. It is a lot easier, when learning about new topics, if you can put it into a context that is familiar. For this idea that trees communicate, it is sort of similar to a human family. Messages are sent, resources shared and the older help protect and shelter the young. This is one of the most simplest ways we can think of this topic, and yet it is also the one I connect to the most. We, as humans, have come a long way from thinking that trees and forests are simply a resource awaiting harvest. We started learning these organisms are alive, and although we are still missing much understanding of how they work, this scientific breakthrough of mycorrhizal networks is a huge step in understanding forest dynamics. 

We now know that cutting down one tree will not just affect only that tree, but all the others surrounding it. In our textbook, it is mentioned that to look at the past means people are calling for a better future (Beck & Cable, 2018), I believe that this discovery is something that will one day have been a historic event. In the future we will look back to when we first discovered that forests and trees have these connections. It is another connection between humans and nature that will one day benefit society. 

All for now :)

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. SAGAMORE Publishing.

Grant, R. (2018) Do Trees Talk to Each Other? | Science| Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved March 12, 2024, from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-whispering-trees-180968084/#

Simard, S. W. (2018). Mycorrhizal Networks Facilitate Tree Communication, Learning, and Memory. 191–213. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75596-0_10