Humans
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This week, a new paper argues our Ice Age ancestors were eating some pretty nasty things as a source of carbs, men might be more likely to stick to a meat-based diet in order to feel more ‘manly’, and you may have seen the incredible image of a full nervous system but you may not know the story behind it and how it highlights the importance of bodily autonomy and informed consent in science.
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Our Ice Age Ancestors Had A Truly Disgusting Source Of Carbs
Studies of ancient diets have overlooked what was sometimes an important source of carbohydrates during the Ice Age, a new paper argues: partially digested grass and leaves in the stomachs of prey called "digesta". The work could fill a gap that has previously been difficult to explain, perhaps because people didn’t want to think about it too closely. Read the full story here
First-Ever Direct Image Of A Black Hole Launching Its Jets Revealed
The first image ever taken of a black hole’s shadow was recently sharpened by AI. That made for a pretty picture, but the bigger story was still to come. Refinements of images taken five years ago have now, for the first time, allowed us to see the jets expelled by the black hole at the same time as the shadow itself. Read the full story here
People Are Not Happy After Learning How Parmesan Cheese Is Made
Every now and then on the Internet, people discover something about food that they thought everyone already knew. Hey, we're all learning, right? Last month it was the turn of paprika and allspice, but now it's our old friend Parmesan cheese under the spotlight. Read the full story here
Men May Refuse To Quit Meat Because It Threatens Their Masculinity, Suggests Study
As the world increasingly turns towards vegetarian and vegan diets, one group is having a much harder time making the switch: men. Men generally eat more meat than women and are more resistant to changing this, so why are they so stuck in their ways? Read the full story here
Lion Spotted In Chad National Park After Being Thought Extinct For 20 Years
Exciting news out of Chad this week, as conservationists at the Sena Oura National Park report the first sighting of a wild lion in the area in nearly two decades. Even better, the big cat appears to be thriving. Caught on remote camera back in February, the Wildlife Conservation Society describes the feline visitor as “a beautiful lioness, in her prime and clearly in great health.” Read the full story here
Feature of the week:
A 130-Year-Old Dissection Of The Human Nervous System Hangs In Pennsylvania
You have probably seen this image but you don't know the story behind it. In 1888, Harriet Cole’s body underwent a complete dissection of the human cerebro-spinal nervous system. While the achievement was celebrated within the academic community, it retrospectively raises concerns around informed consent and bodily autonomy in the pursuit of science. Read the full story here
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