At one time, we thought that humans evolved in a straight line, from one species to another, until homo sapiens sapiens, or modern humans, were achieved -as illustrated in the artwork called March of Progress. But as we developed the ability to analyze DNA, the story gets much messier. Several species of hominins co-existed over the course of our evolution, possibly many species at different times. We now know that non-African humans carry a small percentage of Neanderthal genes, and some carry Denisovan genes. Even more recent genetic research shows that those Neanderthals that modern humans encountered when they left Africa 60,000 years ago already had a legacy of mixing with modern humans in their genome!

The finding also adds to the already compelling body of evidence that there were multiple migrations of modern humans out of Africa, stretching back over hundreds of thousands of years. Modern humans were thought to have evolved in Africa after the departure of Neanderthals and Denisovans, and to have remained on the continent until their well-known out-of-Africa diaspora 60,000 years ago. But recently, fossil evidence has indicated otherwise: A human jawbone in Israel, reported last year to date back to 180,000 years ago, and a skull fragment in Greece that’s even older, indicate earlier human migrations.

In fact, with that piece of skull, archaeologists may have stumbled across a possible member of the long-ago exodus that Siepel and his team inferred in their genomic study. The fossil, which was classified as Neanderthal when it was unearthed in Greece in the 1970s, was analyzed last month by the paleoanthropologist Katerina Harvati of the University of Tübingen and her colleagues. Structurally, it looked somewhat like a modern human skull, but it was estimated to be about 210,000 years old — supposedly too old to be modern at that location.

Under this model, it appears that modern humans didn't survive the earlier migrations, and the Neanderthals and Denisovans did not survive the last large homo sapiens sapiens migration. Or did they? The traces of DNA left after each exodus show they are still with us in some ways. Read more about how genome sequencing is revealing more about human evolution at Quanta magazine.  -via Digg

(Image credit: Olena Shmahalo/Quanta Magazine)

The US threw its heart and soul into the Manhattan Project in order to develop a weapon to stop World War II. It did, but left unimaginable horror behind. Then came the arms race with the Soviet Union, in which both sides developed ever more powerful nuclear weapons. As we became more afraid of nuclear bombs, the US government went to great lengths to maintain public support for nuclear research. That included a 1965 comic outlining the possible peaceful uses of such weapons.

This particular pro-nuke comic was written by scientist and educator Athelstan Spilhaus and was published in the July 4, 1965 edition of newspapers around the country as part of the long-running Our New Age series. Titled, “Atomic Ditch Digging,” this edition of the strip explained that humanity had harnessed the atom, and now it would be used for countless useful purposes in peacetime. Peacetime is a relative word, of course, since the U.S. was dramatically escalating its presence in Vietnam during the summer of 1965 and expanding the military draft at home.

Nevertheless, the comic explained that nuclear explosions were far cheaper than traditional explosives and could be used for building roads, railways, and “huge canals.” The illustration, done by Gene Fawcette, even included a shovel with a nuclear symbol, further pressing the idea that this was a perfect use of atomic energy for large infrastructure projects.

When all you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail. What could possibly go wrong? See more of the comic and the history behind it at Paleofuture. -via Boing Boing

(Image credit: Brett Ryan Bonowicz)

Sam Battle connected 95 LEGO droids, 42 musical instruments, and 30 iPads together to create the Droid Orchestra. You can probably guess what song they play. The project is to introduce you to the new programmable LEGO® Star Wars™ BOOST Droid Commander. Yeah, they're expensive and probably technically challenging, but they are pretty cool to watch. Learn more about the Droid Orchestra project in a behind-the-scenes video.   -via Geeks Are Sexy

About 250 pigs have escaped from a farm in Vermont, causing a nuisance for drivers and passers-by. But most of them have returned. Thanks to the trail of hot dog buns and good ol’ fashioned corralling!

"The pigs have been allowed and remain to be allowed in the town right of way so cars are unable to pass, people can't walk on the road because the pigs chase them," said Town Clerk Angela Eastman on Thursday.

According to the farm owner, Walter Jeffries, the fence enclosure was allegedly damaged by his former employee, who he had already reported to the police.

The ruckus of the pigs in town cost Jeffries tens of thousands of dollars in fines as a public hazard.

Image Credit: Lisa Rathke / AP

One of the first pairs made by Nike Inc shattered the record for a pair of sneakers at public auction, by selling for $437,500. The “Moon Shoe”, bought by Canadian investor and car collector Miles Nadal (who had previously paid $850,000 for 99 other pairs of rare or limited collection sneakers as well), was designed by Nike co-founder and track coach Bill Bowerman for 1972 Olympics runners. 

The purchase broke the previous record, which was $190,373 in 2017 for a pair of signed Converse sneakers said to have been worn by Michael Jordan. Reuters has the details:

Sotheby’s, better known for selling art works fetching tens of millions of dollars, teamed up with streetwear marketplace Stadium Goods to auction 100 pairs of the rarest sneakers ever produced in a venture that reflects their fast-growing status as collectibles.

The handmade “Moon Shoe,” with a waffle sole pattern, was one of only 12 pairs ever made and the pair that were auctioned on Tuesday are the only ones known to exist in an unworn condition, Sotheby’s said.

Nadal, the founder of investment firm Peerage Capital, said in a statement he was thrilled at his purchase, calling the “Moon Shoe” a “true historical artifact in sports history and pop culture.”

image credit: Sotheby via Reuters

Tooth enamel is the hardest tissue in the human body. Sadly, it cannot repair itself when damaged, making people more susceptible to cavities and eventually needing fillings or tooth extraction.

Now, scientists at the Zhejiang University School of Medicine in Hangzhou, China, have found a way to grow the enamel with the same structure as in teeth! This is by mixing calcium and phosphate ions (both minerals which are found in enamel) with the chemical called triethylamine in an alcohol solution.

Writing in the journal Science Advances, Changyu Shao said: “Although a range of materials, such as composite resins, ceramics, and amalgam, have been developed for the restoration of tooth enamel, they have failed to achieve permanent repair because of the imperfect combination between these foreign materials and the native enamel.

“However, the layer newly regrown by remineralization can be integrated into native enamel such that the repair would be permanent, and this process may be developed as an effective cure for enamel erosion in clinical practice.

They believe that when developed, it is a promising enamel repair material for dental applications in the near future.

Scientists showed it is possible to soak a small biodegradable sponge with the drug and insert it into a cavity, where it triggers the growth of dentin and repairs the damage within six weeks. They also discovered a new group of stem cells that contributes dentin growth.

Commenting on the new Chinese research Professor Damien Walmsley, Scientific Advisor for the British Dental Association, said: “This is exciting but it’s still a very long way off. “A lot of other things need to come together before we can successfully grow back a tooth.

“I think we’ll eventually get there in ten, 15, 20 years.”

Know more about the procedure via The Telegraph

Image: Changyu Shao et al./Science Advances

Christian Sasse, a photographer who documents the eagle population in Vancouver, British Columbia, is waist-deep in the water as he waits for the opportunity to capture the perfect picture of a bald eagle.

The eagle Sasse was observing had come to the beach in search of a snack. “During low tide [the eagles] can access the intertidal zone,” Sasse told The Dodo. “And we have a lot of fish called midshipman fish there that are high in protein for eagles.”

Sasse was not expecting anything amazing to come up with the photos as he snapped a few photos and left for a day. He thought wrong, however.

… when he reviewed the shots later that night, he started cracking up: “When I came home, I looked at the photos, and said, ‘Oh my gosh, this is just too funny.’”

In one of the shots, a mysterious stream of water seemed to be coming from the eagle. It looked to Sasse as if the bird was peeing, but he knew that was impossible.

See the explanation behind this photo over at The Dodo.

(Image Credit: Sasse Photo/ Facebook/ The Dodo)

J.T Sexkik has compiled a series of misspellings and grammatical blunders taken from Yahoo! Answers into one video, and reads them. The result is an extremely hilarious video that would surely leave you rolling on the floor laughing.

Despite this video of misspellings of the word “pregnant” being over 2 years old, it is still fun to watch.

Via Funny Or Die

(Video Credit: J.T Sexkik/ YouTube)

This is Emmanuelle Moureaux’s new installation titled “Universe of Words” which forms part of the Japanese soft drink Calpis — “Calpis 100th year anniversary, let’s meet at Tanabata” — exhibition.

… The work immerses visitors in colored pieces of paper suspended from the ceiling. As the latest in moureaux’s ‘100 colors’ series, the work uses the full spectrum to compose intimate and thoughtful spaces. 

The installation was unveiled on July 4, with the day coinciding with the Japanese star festival.

In Japan, Tanabata Day marks a tradition when people write their hopes and dreams on colored pieces of paper and hang them from a bamboo branch in the hope that their wishes will come true. Moureaux‘s installation reinterprets this event by floating words throughout the gallery space, in an effort to evoke visitors’ curiosity and emotion.

It really looks like you’re being transported to another dimension, to a “universe of words”. The installation, indeed, lives up to its name.

(Image Credit: Daisuke Shima)

Toronto-based artist Micah Adams loves to make tiny assemblages from tiny things that he was able to collect over the years. These tiny things would range from “toys, bottle caps, beach finds and even teeth”, which he would cast in metal.

“... They were like tiny bronzes or miniature monuments. That lead me to look for tiny things that were already metal that I could use. So I looked at coins and their designs for things I could cut-out.”

And cut out designs from coins he did by using a jeweler’s saw.

See the photos over at Colossal.

(Image Credit: Colossal)

These are child-like figures created by 31-year old Tokyo-based artist Moe Nakamura. Each of these sculptures are carved out of a single block of wood. The figures are under Nakamura’s latest exhibition entitled “Remember You”, and is currently on display at Gallery Tsubaki in Tokyo until September 7, 2019.

Each of the sculptures seem to portray a child-like figure in a costume or mask that they wear as if they were born with them. Most are the size of a child: between 2.5 and 3 ft. They are either propped up on pedestals or, in some cases, low to the ground and you must kneel to get up close. One piece, “Hour to the dawn,” stands out in its towering scale. At over 6 ft tall the sculpture, which depicts the classic prank of children trying to appear taller by standing on each other’s shoulders behind a screen, eclipses the height of most gallery visitors.

Each sculpture emanates an enigmatic aura that leaves a person either perplexed or amazed.

What are your thoughts on this one? Are they adorable? Are they creepy?

(Image Credit: Moe Nakamura/ Gallery Tsubaki)

Edi Okoro bought a diamond engagement ring, but it was some time before he popped the question to Callie Read. During that time, he carried the ring around, waiting for the perfect moment. He even referred to it as "my precious," as he got attached to it. But sometime during that period, he realized that he had a secret that Callie didn't know, and he should take advantage of it. So he took a lot of pictures of the ring right in front of her, without ever giving away the secret. Edi even got some video clips! Yes, they eventually got engaged, and she loves the ring. It was another few weeks before he revealed the photos to her. See the imaginative ways he managed to snap Callie and the ring together before the proposal at Bored Panda.

After a few years of bankrobbing their way across the American West, Robert LeRoy Parker and Harry Longabaugh headed to South America with their stolen money and Longabaugh's wife Ethel. Fifty years ago this month, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid told their story and became the biggest movie of 1969. The film ended with Butch and Sundance being shot by the Bolivian military in a hail of bullets, but skipped over the years they spent as wealthy and law-abiding cattlemen in Argentina.   

For six years they managed to elude the most powerful detectives on the planet and outrun their past across the wilds of South America. Hidden, for years, in the tranquil frontiers of Patagonia and the deep forests of the Andes, they started new lives as law-abiding citizens. They roped cattle, built ranches, and spent their ill-gotten gains on glorious living, including tango parties and cabin concerts where a governor—and even lawmen charged with arresting them—were honored guests.  

They tried to let go of the past. But they were hounded for a crime which we now know they did not commit, and the past caught up with them. Found out, the Old West’s smartest robbers responded by going on an epic spree of bank jobs that filled their saddlebags and humiliated law enforcement in three countries. Given the real story of what Butch and Sundance pulled off in South America, it’s no wonder the authorities tried to forget those years.

Read what happened to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid during their years in South America, and how their lives really ended, at The Daily Beast.  -via Metafilter

If you hate receiving wrong orders, you might not like this restaurant; but once you find out the reason why they serve wrong orders, it might be enough reason for you to love them!

The restaurant I’m talking about is the Tokyo pop-up “Restaurant of Mistaken Orders.” Here, they may or may not get your order right, since all of their servers are people living with dementia.

Un-Japanese though that concept may seem at first, it actually reflects realities of Japanese society in the 21st century: Japan has an aging population with an already high proportion of elderly people, and that puts it on track to have the fastest-growing number of prevalent cases of Alzheimer's Disease.

[…]

You can see more of the Restaurant of Mistaken Orders in last year's "report movie" just above, which shows its team of servers with dementia in action. Some shown are in middle age, some are in their tenth decade of life, but all seem to have a knack for building rapport with their customers — a skill that anyone who has ever worked front-of-the-house in a restaurant will agree is essential, especially when mistakes happen. We see them deliver orders both correct and incorrect, but the diners seem to enjoy the experience either way: "37% of our orders were mistaken," the restaurant reports, "but 99% of our customers said they were happy." This contains another truth about Japanese food culture that anyone who has eaten in Japan will acknowledge: whatever you order, the chance of its being delicious is approximately 100%.

Would you visit their store when you go to Japan?

Video by 注文をまちがえる料理店一般社団法人 / Youtube

The Great Salt Lake in Utah is at a record low and if nothing is done to restore it, then it will continue on its path and dry up sooner rather than later. Several other saline lakes in the world are experiencing the same situation and efforts have been made to mitigate their decline. But it will take billions of dollars to do that.

During the past 50 years, the lake logged its lowest recorded levels. Those two measurements came within the past three years — in 2016 and again in 2018, according to Cory Angeroth, director of the Utah Water Science Center of the U.S. Geological Survey.

The National Audubon Society asked the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council to commission a report that looked at the aftermath of the decline of eight terminal saline lakes around the world with characteristics similar to that of the Great Salt Lake.

Research the society made available last week revealed the economic, environmental and public health impacts of dying saline lakes are incredibly costly.

Restoration in just one phase involving the Aral Sea in Central Asia was projected at more than $270 million, and a program to renovate irrigation and drainage systems to lower water consumption cost about $30 billion. An estimated 60,000 people lost their jobs when the fishery collapsed.

Despite the costs, the long-term impact if the lake dries up will put the surrounding areas in greater risk.

Dried up lakes become sources of dust pollution, not to mention people's livelihoods could be in jeopardy. It would also displace wildlife and bring changes to the weather.

So far, there have been plans to save the lake but there is a need for greater awareness and support, not just from the local government but from every stakeholder in the community.

“We need to get enough traction with the information it provides to keep building awareness that the future of the Great Salt Lake is now,” she said. “It’s running right through our fingers and we have to do something.”

(Image credit: Colter Peterson/Deseret News)