The oldest known example of a water treatment system in the Western Hemisphere was recently discovered in Guatemala. Source: https://earthsky.org/human-world/ancient-mayan-civilization-used-advanced-water-treatment-technology…
Tag: Central America
The Large Magellanic Cloud, our galactic neighbor
The Large Magellanic Cloud is a petite galaxy visible with the unaided eye – all year round – for those in the Southern Hemisphere. This small neighboring galaxy to the Milky Way is somewhere between spiral and irregular in shape. Source: https://earthsky.org/clusters-nebulae-galaxies/the-large-magellanic-cloud…
What’s the birthstone for December?
If you were born December, you’ve got 2 birthstones, turquoise and zircon. Source: https://earthsky.org/human-world/december-birthstone-zircon-turquoise…
Earth’s magnetic field may change faster than we thought
A long-standing question has been how fast Earth’s magnetic field can change. The authors of a new study say they’ve uncovered some answers. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/earths-magnetic-field-change-faster-thought…
Stuck At Home, Scientists Discover 9 New Insect Species
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Wired: When the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County shut down due to the pandemic in mid-March, Lisa Gonzalez headed home with the expectation that she would be back in a few weeks. But once it became clear that she wouldn’t get back anytime soon, Gonzalez, the museum’s assistant entomology collection manager, converted…
Fifty years of data show spring and fall bird migrations changing
A study of bird-banding data in North America for black-throated blue warblers, spanning 50 years, shows that their spring migration has become progressively earlier with each decade. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/fifty-years-of-data-show-new-changes-in-bird-migration…
Watch Mars disappear behind the moon on February 18
Given clear skies, all of the U.S. (except Alaska and Hawaii) can watch the red planet Mars disappear behind the moon – or reappear, or both – on the morning of February 18, 2020. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/lunar-occultation-of-mars-february-18…
IAU approves 2nd round of names for Pluto features
New Horizons provided what will be the only close-up images of Pluto many of us will see in our lifetimes. The new feature names from the International Astronomical Union recognize the mission’s forerunners in Earth and space mythology and history. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/iau-approves-new-pluto-feature-names-2019…
South American solar eclipse on July 2
A total eclipse of the sun is coming to the South American countries of Chile and Argentina in the late afternoon hours on July 2, 2019. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/south-american-solar-eclipse-on-july-2…
When does Ramadan begin in 2019?
Earliest sightings of a young crescent in the west after sunset mark the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. When will the UAE’s moon-sighting committee see this month’s young moon? If they’re using binoculars and telescopes (and have clear skies), they might see it May 5. For the eye alone, the date is probably May 6. Source: https://earthsky.org/human-world/when-does-ramadan-start-crescent-moon…