Go Nuts About Squirrels

It’s Squirrel Appreciation Day! Over 200 squirrel species fit into 3 types: ground, tree, and flying squirrels. The African pygmy squirrel is only 3 inches long, while the Laotian giant flying squirrel is 3 1/2 feet long! Squirrels are great reforesters; they plant thousands of trees every year by forgetting where they buried their nuts!

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How Ticks Stick

Ticks spread Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia and many other diseases, but they might provide a medical use. Researchers in Austria have discovered a glue-like substance in some ticks’ saliva that help cement them onto their victims. The substance could be developed into a medical adhesive. Imagine tick-spit bandages!

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Scythian Tomb Discovered in Siberia

Archaeologists have discovered a giant burial mound over 2800 years old in Siberia. Wider than a football field, the mound could contain Scythian royals and countless treasures frozen into the earth. Excavations are planned to preserve the artifacts. The Scythians were fearsome nomads who had a reputation for making cups from their enemies’ skulls.

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Square Waves Mean Danger

Have you ever seen square waves? It’s a common sight in Isle of Rhe, an island in France. The ocean’s surface sometimes form the pattern of a chess board. The phenomenon is called a cross sea, and occurs when waves from one weather pattern intersect another wave system. But beware: they create dangerous riptides!

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Follow That Thought!

Have you ever lost your train of thought? Maybe a neuroscientist can help you find it. Researchers conducted a study with patients undergoing brain surgery for epilepsy. They gave the subjects a task, then monitored the brain’s electrical activity. They were able to follow a thought traveling through the brain!

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Titan is a Lot Like Earth

The Cassini mission started providing data about Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, a decade ago. Scientists are now finding similarities between Titan and Earth! Titan has karsts, rocky terrain that drains liquids. Titan’s oceans have a common sea level just like ours, although they are made of liquid hydrocarbons instead of water.

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