Restorers uncover demon in a 1789 painting – and reveal the decline of superstition in the Age of Reason: Recent news that restorers had uncovered the image of a Gothic-looking demon in a late work by Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792) seems fitting for these long, dark evenings. The sinister face hovers above the head of …
New research reveals that Ötzi the iceman was bald and probably from a farming family – what else can DNA uncover?: In 1991, hikers came across a body that was partially contained in ice high up in the Alpine province of South Tyrol, Italy. Initially thought to be from a recent death, the body was …
James Webb telescope: how it could uncover some of the universe’s best-kept secrets: James Webb Space Telescope mirrors undergoing cryogenic testing. Ball Aerospace/Shutterstock, CC BY-ND If everything goes according to plan on December 25, we will enter a new era of astronomy with the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). It’s an event …
Hayabusa 2: returning asteroid sample could help uncover the origins of life and the solar system: Artist impression of Hayabusa 2 approaching asteroid Ryugu. Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR)/wikipedia, CC BY-SA What is your idea of an asteroid? Many people think of them as potato-shaped, inert and perhaps rather dull, pock-marked objects – …
Grenfell: it took specialist journals and social media to uncover the real story: Numbers relating to the Grenfell Tower disaster of 2017 are always staggering. The 250 firefighters that attended the fire, the 60 hours the tower burned for, and most of all the 72 people who lost their lives. And now as phase two …
Five techniques we’re using to uncover the secrets of viruses: ffikretow/Shutterstock Viruses are often termed “the invisible enemy”. They aren’t visible with the naked eye, or even by using a standard optical microscope. So how do we know they exist or what they look like? There are biochemical methods, such as the ones used to …
Coronavirus: scientists uncover why some people lose their sense of smell: Syda Productions/Shutterstock From the first reports coming out of Wuhan, Iran and later Italy, we knew that losing your sense of smell (anosmia) was a significant symptom of the disease. Now, after months of reports, both anecdotal and more rigorous clinical findings, we think …
We set out to uncover the hidden costs of US airstrikes in Somalia: America's military presence in Somalia could be causing more harm than good. Mazen Mahdi/EPA The US is an active participant in the war against Al-Shabaab in Somalia, efforts that have increased in the last few years under the Trump Administration. The strategy …