Origin of dinosaur-ending asteroid possibly found. And it's dark.

Human influence on global warming is 'unequivocal,' IPCC report says | Vaccine-resistant coronavirus 'mutants' are more likely when transmission is high, new model finds | Origin of dinosaur-ending asteroid possibly found. And it's dark. Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( August 9, 2021 CONNECT WITH LIVESCIENCE  [Facebook]( [Twitter](  [LIVESCIENCE]( [LIVESCIENCE]( Amazing science every day [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [WEBSITE]( [] Top Science News [] [Human influence on global warming is 'unequivocal,' IPCC report says]( [Human influence on global warming is 'unequivocal,' IPCC report says]( (Photo by Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images) Record-setting wildfires, historic floods, baking droughts and punishing heat waves have dominated headlines in recent months, and if you're wondering if these extreme events are linked to climate change — and if humans are responsible — a new report by hundreds of climate experts confirms that this is indeed the case. In fact, it's "unequivocal" that human activity is driving climate change, and it's affecting Earth's oceans, atmosphere, ice and biosphere in ways that are "widespread and rapid," according to the report. Full Story: [LiveScience]( (8/9) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] COVID-19 [] [Vaccine-resistant coronavirus 'mutants' are more likely when transmission is high, new model finds]( [Vaccine-resistant coronavirus 'mutants' are more likely when transmission is high, new model finds]( (Getty / Paula Bronstein / Contributor) Vaccine-resistant coronavirus mutants are more likely to emerge when a large fraction of the population is vaccinated and viral transmission is high, and no steps are taken to stop the spread, a new model suggests. In other words, a situation that looks a lot like the current one in the U.S. The best way to snuff out vaccine-resistant mutants before they spread is to get shots in arms as quickly as possible, while also keeping viral transmission low, the authors found; in their model, they assume low transmission rates reflect the adoption of behavioral measures like masking and social distancing. Full Story: [LiveScience]( (8/6) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] History & Archaeology [] [Origin of dinosaur-ending asteroid possibly found. And it's dark.]( [Origin of dinosaur-ending asteroid possibly found. And it's dark.]( (MARK GARLICK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY via Getty Images) About 66 million years ago, an estimated 6-mile-wide (9.6 kilometers) object slammed into Earth, triggering a cataclysmic series of events that resulted in the demise of non-avian dinosaurs. Now, scientists think they know where that object came from. According to new research, the impact was caused by a giant dark primitive asteroid from the outer reaches of the solar system's main asteroid belt, situated between Mars and Jupiter. This region is home to many dark asteroids — space rocks with a chemical makeup that makes them appear darker (reflecting very little light) compared with other types of asteroids. Full Story: [LiveScience]( (8/9) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Babylonians used Pythagorean theorem 1,000 years before it was 'invented' in ancient Greece]( [Babylonians used Pythagorean theorem 1,000 years before it was 'invented' in ancient Greece]( (UNSW) A 3,700-year-old clay tablet has revealed that the ancient Babylonians understood the Pythagorean theorem more than 1,000 years before the birth of the Greek philosopher Pythagoras, who is widely associated with the idea. The tablet, known as Si.427, was used by ancient land surveyors to draw accurate boundaries and is engraved with cuneiform markings which form a mathematical table instructing the reader on how to make accurate right triangles. The tablet is the earliest known example of applied geometry. A French archeological expedition first excavated the tablet, which dates to between 1900 and 1600 B.C in what is now Iraq in 1894, and it is currently housed in the Istanbul Archeological Museum. Full Story: [LiveScience]( (8/9) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Natural Disasters [] [Dixie Fire becomes largest in California history]( [Dixie Fire becomes largest in California history]( (JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images) Burning through parched fuel like matchsticks, the Dixie Fire in Northern California has mushroomed in size this week to become the largest single wildfire in the state's history, according to news reports. The fire, which covers large parts of Butte and Plumas Counties, ignited around midnight on July 14 and has been raging ever since, fostered by the low humidity, high winds and already dried-up foliage, The Washington Post reported. Full Story: [LiveScience]( (8/7) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Astronomy & Astrophysics [] [Mysterious dimming of bright star Betelgeuse possibly explained]( [Mysterious dimming of bright star Betelgeuse possibly explained]( (Graphics Department/MPIA) The mysterious strange dimming seen last year in the huge star Betelgeuse may be from giant sunspots and temperature fluctuations. A new study suggests a "large dark spot" led to Betelgeuse's surface temperature dropping, which in turn contributed to a temporary dimming in the red giant's luminosity or inherent brightness. The stark fading generated headlines around the world in 2020 as speculation mounted about what was going on. The science is still unclear, but astronomers are blaming everything from gas cloud emissions, to dust, to stellar fluctuations before Betelgeuse eventually explodes as a supernova. Full Story: [LiveScience]( (8/9) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Curious Creatures [] [Tardigrades probably see in black and white]( [Tardigrades probably see in black and white]( (Cultura RM Exclusive/Gregory S. Paulson) Chubby, resilient tardigrades — arguably the cutest of all microscopic life — can survive punishing temperature extremes, exposure to the vacuum of space and even being shot out of a gun. But there's one thing tardigrades can't do: see in color. Full Story: [LiveScience]( (8/6) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Fish with 'human teeth' caught in North Carolina]( [Fish with 'human teeth' caught in North Carolina]( (Jennette's Pier/ Facebook) Last week (Aug 3), anglers at Jennette's Pier in North Carolina pulled up something unexpected — and uncanny — from the Atlantic: a fish with human teeth. Yes, this fish — and its teeth — are real. But fortunately, there's nothing human about it. It's called a sheepshead fish (Archosargus probatocephalus) — also known as a convict fish for the dark stripes running down its gray body, reminiscent of a stereotypical prison jumpsuit, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Full Story: [LiveScience]( (8/6) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Quiz [] POLL QUESTION: Do identical twins have identical fingerprints? 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