Jessica Irvine 
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain According to a new report from Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) at Uppsala University, at least 237,000 people died in organized violence in 2022. This represents a 97% increase over the previous year, making it the highest number since the Rwandan genocide in 1994. These results will be published in the …
The head and the heart “In mice, anxiety isn’t all in the head” (SN: 4/8/23, p.9) reported that scientists used light to raise a mouse’s heart rate, increasing anxiety-like behaviors in the animal. This study offers a new angle for studying anxiety disorders. Reader Barry Maletzky asked why strenuous exercise, which elevates heart rate, doesn’t …
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/94/f7/94f7656b-2c73-47c7-8269-ef90c2bbb008/babylonian-kiss_web.jpg "Science Discovers That Humanity Had Its First Recorded Kiss Sooner Than Previously Believed")
A Babylonian clay model depicting a nude couple engaged in sex and kissing dates back to 1800 B.C.E and is housed at the British Museum. The first written evidence of romantic kissing appears on a 1900-1595 B.C.E. clay tablet from Sippar, Mesopotamia. However, scientists believe that humans were kissing much earlier than their ability to …
The “Strawberry Moon” will look its best at moonrise on Saturday, June 3, 2023. Getty Images You’ve probably noticed the Moon getting brighter recently—and that can only mean one thing. A full Moon is on its way, but this one—the “Strawberry Moon”—is unique. Here’s everything you need to know about May’s full “Strawberry Moon:” 1. …
The Arctic could be virutally ‘ice-free’ in summer within 15 years, a new study shows. The Arctic Ocean’s ice cap will disappear in summer as soon as the 2030s and a decade earlier than thought, no matter how aggressively humanity draws down the carbon pollution that drives global warming, scientists said Tuesday. Even capping global …
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In an open woodland, Morotopithecus bishopi climbs a tree with an infant on its back and a juvenile below. Corbin Rainbolt Apes were supposed to be tied to the trees. Around 21 million years ago, during a time paleontologists know as the Miocene, what’s now Uganda was thought to be a lush, humid forest where …
Pop culture extends beyond recreation, it can teach us valuable mental health lessons. Getty Images Pop culture has a significant impact in shaping the contemporary landscape of relationships. It introduces new possibilities, expands the definition of love and connection, and sparks conversations about inclusivity, representation, and equality in relationships. We know exactly what it means …
Juvenile female Nancy showing a play face and laughing.jpg: Juvenile female chimpanzee Nancy shows a play face and laughs during rough and tumble play. The research found that as the chimpanzees got older, they were more likely to combine different communication signals together, especially when they were responding to/ avoiding aggression or were playing. Credit: …
While volunteering at the University of New Mexico’s Children’s Hospital in Albuquerque, Quinton Smith quickly realized that he could never be a physician. Then an undergrad at the university, Smith was too sad seeing sick kids all the time. But, he thought, “maybe I can help them with science.” Smith had picked his major, chemical …
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/f4/d5/f4d5f3fc-7240-4660-b126-823d26e6ce76/header-uncropped_web.jpg "Science Shows Our Efforts Against the Ozone Hole Have Contributed to Reducing Climate Change")
At the time it was signed, the Montreal Protocol was seen as a good thing for the planet. A new study shows it was even better than anyone first realized. Naeblys / Alamy Stock Photo This article is from Hakai Magazine, an online publication about science and society in coastal ecosystems. Read more stories like …