On June 16, 1963, cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova launched solo aboard a Soviet Vostok 6 rocket, becoming the first-ever woman in space. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/this-date-in-science-first-woman-in-space…
Tag: museum
A Small US Town is Now Printing Its Own Currency
Tenino, Washington (population: 1,884) has launched its own local currency, reports the Hustle:
Mayor Wayne Fournier decided that Tenino would set aside $10k to give out to low-income residents hurt by the pandemic. But instead of using federal dollars, he’d print the money on thin sheets of wood designed exclusively for use in Tenino. His mint? A 130-year-old newspaper printer from a…
Urban Foxes May Be Self-Domesticating In Our Midst
sciencehabit quotes Science magazine: In a famous Siberian experiment carried out the 1950s, scientists turned foxes into tame, doglike canines by breeding only the least aggressive ones generation after generation. The creatures developed stubby snouts, floppy ears, and even began to bark. Now, it appears that some rural red foxes in the United Kingdom are doing this on their own. When…
Want to see Saturn’s rings? Read me 1st
The best time of 2020 for seeing Saturn’s glorious rings is nearly upon us. You’ve seen the photos, but maybe you want to see the rings with your own eyes? Here are a few things to think about. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/viewing-saturns-rings-tips-for-beginners…
Vulcan Is Closing ‘The Living Computers: Museum + Labs’ In Seattle
Flexagon writes: Buried in the news of several closures by Vulcan, a venture by the late Paul Allen, is that Seattle’s Living Computers museum is among the closures, along with Seattle’s Cinerama movie theater. “Two museums under the Vulcan wing, closed because of the pandemic, will also remain shuttered: the Living Computers: Museum + Labs and the Flying Heritage & Combat…
Uber Destroys Thousands of Bikes and Scooters
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the BBC: Uber is destroying thousands of electric bikes and scooters, after selling its Jump business to Lime. Videos of its red bikes being crushed at a recycling centre were shared on social media, angering cycling advocates. Uber said it had decided to destroy thousands of its older-model vehicles due to maintenance, liability and…
Murder hornets? 5 questions answered about Asian giant hornets in North America
Are ‘murder hornets’ from Asia invading North America? An entomologist who lived among them in Japan explains what’s true about the predatory insects. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/what-are-asian-giant-hornets-dangerous…
‘Murder Hornet’ Meme Inspires Stupid Americans To Kill Pollinators En Masse
An anonymous reader writes: You really can’t make this stuff up, but Americans across the country, out of fear of “murder hornets,” have begun killing all kinds of bees en masse. According to Doug Yanega, senior museum scientist for the Department of Entomology at UC Riverside, a national panic has led to the needless slaughter of native wasps and bees, beneficial…
British Museum Makes 1.9 Million Images Available For Free
The British Museum has revamped its online collections database, making over 1.9 million photos of its collection available for free online under a Creative Commons license. ianVisits reports: Under the new agreement the majority of the 1.9 million images are being made available for anyone to use for free under a Creative Commons 4.0 license. Users no longer need to register…
This could be the longest ocean creature ever recorded
Scientists have discovered a 150-foot (46-meter) example of a siphonophore, a string-like deep-sea predator in Australian waters. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/longest-ocean-animal-ever-recorded…