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The Indus Valley Civilization (IVC), which thrived in northern India and Pakistan around 5,700 years ago, remains a subject of intrigue due to its undeciphered writing system and the sudden disappearance of its cities. The prominent city of Harappa, flourishing from 3700 to 1300 BCE, has recently been the focus of a study analyzing ancient plant remains, revealing that food processing likely occurred outside the city by a large workforce, contradicting previous beliefs that families processed crops at home. Researchers found a high ratio of grain to chaff, suggesting that cereals like wheat and barley were transported in a highly processed state. Additionally, the presence of weed seeds linked to cattle dung burning indicates its use as a fuel source for cooking and industrial purposes. While these findings provide insights into Harappa's social organization, much about the daily lives of its inhabitants remains elusive, with a $1 million prize offered for deciphering the ancient script potentially paving the way for further discoveries. 
Published: Feb 23 2025, 6 ameznews.inThe argonaut, a distinctive cephalopod known for its ability to create and inhabit its own shell, employs jet propulsion for swimming by expelling water through a funnel. Notably, male argonauts are significantly smaller than females, reaching only a few centimeters compared to females that can grow up to 2 meters, raising questions about their reproductive process. Observations of a deceased male and a live female have revealed that males possess a specialized arm, the hectocotylus, which they use to transfer sperm to the female. This arm, developed in a pouch beneath the male's eye, detaches and swims to the female, where it fertilizes her eggs stored in her mantle cavity. Uniquely, while males die after mating, females continue to live and reproduce, defying the typical cephalopod lifecycle.
Published: Feb 24 2025, 1 ameznews.inA recent post from a flat Earth group has sparked confusion regarding why flights do not speed up when flying against the Earth's rotation. The post claims that a plane traveling west at 300 mph should reach its destination 1,400 mph faster due to the Earth's eastward spin. However, this misunderstanding stems from a flawed grasp of physics. When a plane takes off, it carries the Earth's rotational speed with it due to inertia, meaning it does not experience the ground moving beneath it as suggested. Additionally, the atmosphere rotates with the Earth, preventing any drastic wind speeds that could alter flight times. In fact, flights heading east are often quicker due to jet streams, which are influenced by the Earth's rotation and atmospheric conditions. Thus, while the Earth's spin does affect flight dynamics, it does not operate in the simplistic manner proposed by the post.
Published: Feb 23 2025, 11 pmeznews.inIn a striking example of rapid evolution, female African elephants in Mozambique's Gorongosa National Park have shown a significant increase in tusklessness due to intense poaching during the Mozambican Civil War (1977-1992). A study published in 2021 revealed that the proportion of tuskless females surged from 18.5% before the war to 50.9% afterward, as those without tusks were more likely to survive the brutal conflict and its aftermath. The war decimated the region's biodiversity, with large herbivore populations plummeting by over 90%, largely due to poaching by both government and rebel forces seeking ivory for funding. Interestingly, no tuskless males were found, potentially linked to genetic factors. This case underscores the profound impact of human actions on natural selection, highlighting the interconnectedness of human societies and evolutionary processes, and calls for more interdisciplinary research to explore these complex relationships.
Published: Feb 19 2025, 5 pmeznews.inThe Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025 competition has revealed its winners, showcasing over 6,000 entries across 13 categories. Spanish photographer Alvaro Herrero clinched the top title for his poignant image "Radiant Bond," depicting a mother humpback whale and her calf in French Polynesia, capturing the essence of maternal love and the fragility of ocean life. German photographer Robert Marc Lehmann was awarded Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year for a striking image of a tiger shark being carried ashore in Indonesia, highlighting the grim reality of shark mortality due to human actions. In the Portrait category, Abdulaziz Al Saleh from Kuwait won for a humorous shot of camels drinking, while Dan Bolt's captivating image of a jellyfish earned him the British Waters Macro category prize. The competition continues to celebrate the beauty and challenges of underwater life, with all winners available for viewing online.
Published: Feb 23 2025, 12 ameznews.inA new study led by evolutionary biologist Luis Zaman from the University of Michigan suggests that the process of evolution itself may evolve, enhancing organisms' ability to adapt to environmental challenges. Researchers explored this concept using a computational model called Avida, simulating populations that had to switch between beneficial and harmful resources, represented as red and blue berries. They found that populations forced to cycle between these environments developed greater "mutations," allowing them to adapt more effectively. Interestingly, while rapid environmental changes hindered evolvability, longer cycles—spanning hundreds of generations—facilitated its development. The findings indicate that once a population achieves enhanced evolvability, this trait is likely to persist, suggesting a deeper understanding of how life thrives in diverse and changing ecosystems. The study is published in the journal PNAS.
Published: Feb 22 2025, 10 ameznews.inIn a remarkable study, researchers have observed mice engaging in behaviors reminiscent of human first aid, as they attempt to revive their unconscious peers. The rodents displayed a range of actions, from gentle grooming to more forceful biting and tongue-pulling, particularly when interacting with familiar partners. During interactions with anesthetized mice, the caregiving mice spent over 47% of their time trying to rouse their unresponsive counterparts, successfully removing foreign objects from their mouths 80% of the time. Notably, those receiving attention regained mobility faster than those who did not. The study identified specific brain regions linked to this instinctive behavior, suggesting that such caregiving impulses may be more widespread among social animals than previously recognized. The findings, published in the journal Science, highlight the potential evolutionary benefits of these behaviors in enhancing group cohesion and survival.
Published: Feb 22 2025, 1 pmeznews.inIn the 1990s, Romanian-Australian economist Stefan Mandel devised a systematic approach to winning lotteries, achieving remarkable success by winning 14 times. Initially using his method in Romania, Mandel later moved to Australia and identified lucrative opportunities in U.S. lotteries, particularly the Virginia lottery, which had a manageable number of combinations. By purchasing every possible ticket combination when jackpots exceeded three times the cost of buying them all, he ensured a return on investment. His team faced logistical challenges, including securing enough investors and managing the bulk purchase of tickets, but ultimately succeeded in acquiring 6.4 million of the 7 million combinations needed for a guaranteed win. Despite investigations by the FBI and CIA, no wrongdoing was found, and Mandel retired to a beach house in Vanuatu, having amassed millions for himself and his investors.
Published: Feb 20 2025, 6 ameznews.inAs Thanksgiving approaches, many turkeys face an unfortunate fate at the dinner table, raising the question of why turkey eggs are rarely consumed. In the wild, a turkey hen lays a clutch of nine to 13 eggs over a two-week period, but domesticated turkeys are not farmed for their eggs due to low yield. With a laying cycle of 24 to 32 hours and a maturity age of seven months, turkeys simply do not compete with chickens, which lay almost daily and mature in five months. Additionally, the cost of raising turkeys, which require more space and food, makes them less financially viable for egg production. While turkey eggs are edible and reportedly taste similar to chicken eggs, their tough shells and larger size contribute to their unpopularity in the market. As the holiday season approaches, it seems consumers will continue to favor chicken eggs over their turkey counterparts.
Published: Feb 20 2025, 3 ameznews.inA TikTok video by creator @zachdfilms3 has sparked interest in the historical fact that the English alphabet once included 27 letters, with the ampersand ("&") serving as the 27th. In the video, zachdfilms3 explains that the ampersand, which represented the word "and," was recited after the letter Z as "per se &." This symbol was part of nursery rhymes and was recognized in English by 1835, but it fell out of use by the late 19th century. The evolution of the English language has seen the loss of other letters, such as thorn (þ) and wynn (ƿ), while U and J were only added in the 1500s. Experts suggest that while standardized spelling may reduce the likelihood of losing more letters, changes in language are always possible, as seen with modern simplifications like "drive thru."
Published: Feb 23 2025, 3 pmFor the fastest, latest, not so wokest news, 'experts say' you need to visit Eznews
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