1,400-year-old remains of headless horse and rider discovered in Germany

1,400-year-old remains of headless horse and rider discovered in Germany | Pendants from Holocaust victims found near gas chamber in Poland | Alien hammerhead flatworm named after pandemic Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( February 1, 2022 CONNECT WITH LIVESCIENCE  [Facebook]( [Twitter](  [LIVESCIENCE]( [LIVESCIENCE]( Amazing science every day [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [WEBSITE](  [] Top Science News [] [1,400-year-old remains of headless horse and rider discovered in Germany]( [1,400-year-old remains of headless horse and rider discovered in Germany]( (State Office for the Preservation of Monuments in the Regional Council of Stuttgart/ F. Damminger) The skeletal remains of a man buried 1,400 years ago near a headless horse have been discovered at an ancient cemetery in the town of Knittlingen in southern Germany. He likely was the horse's owner/rider when he was alive. The man was buried at a time when the Merovingian dynasty (A.D. 476–750) flourished in the area, ruling a giant swath of territory in what is now France and Central Europe. During his lifetime, the man likely served the dynasty's kings. "He stood in a 'chain of command' with the Merovingian kings on its top, which meant he was obliged to participate in the king's campaigns," Folke Damminger, an archaeologist in charge of research at the site, told Live Science in an email. Full Story: [Live Science]( (2/1) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] History & Archaeology [] [Pendants from Holocaust victims found near gas chamber in Poland]( [Pendants from Holocaust victims found near gas chamber in Poland]( (Yoram Haimi/Israel Antiquities Authority) Archaeologists in Poland have discovered three pendants that belonged to people who were murdered at Sobibor, a Nazi death camp in eastern Poland. The researchers discovered two of the pendants in places where Holocaust victims were forced to undress before guards herded them into gas chambers; they discovered the third pendant near a mass grave at the death camp, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). "Little is known about the stories behind the pendants, which are heartbreaking," Yoram Haimi, an archaeologist with the IAA who co-directed the excavation, said in a statement released Jan. 27. Full Story: [Live Science]( (1/31) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Curious Creatures [] [Alien hammerhead flatworm named after pandemic]( [Alien hammerhead flatworm named after pandemic]( (Pierre Gros) Scientists have discovered an alien hammerhead flatworm species that looks a bit like a miniature king cobra, or perhaps an itty-bitty snake with a moustache. The researchers found the tiny creatures hunting snails in France and Italy, and they’ve named the invaders after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study. These new hammerhead flatworms are among two newly described species found in countries that researchers believe are not part of their native range so they were very likely introduced there by humans. Scientists dubbed the first soil-dwelling predator species Humbertium covidum, with covidum being a reference to COVID-19 as an "homage to the numerous casualties" of the pandemic and because much of the 55-page study was written during lockdowns. Full Story: [Live Science]( (2/1) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Same-sex penguins hatch their first chick at New York zoo]( [Same-sex penguins hatch their first chick at New York zoo]( (Rosamond Gifford Zoo) A pair of same-sex penguins hatched their first chick at Rosamond Gifford Zoo in New York and the parents are caring for it like pros. The two male Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti) named Elmer and Lima were given an egg to incubate because the egg's biological parents have a history of accidentally breaking them. A chick hatched from the egg on Jan. 1 and is doing just fine with its same-sex parents, who keep the newborn penguin warm and fed. "It continues to be brooded and cared for by both Elmer and Lima, who are doing a great job," Ted Fox, the zoo's director, said in a statement. Full Story: [Live Science]( (2/1) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Featured Content Sponsored Content from Gigabyte [Unleash your gaming potential with Gigabyte Aero laptops]( When it comes to editing and rendering, performance is all that matters to content creators. Inspired by the "performance-above- all" mentality, Gigabyte delivers to the market a solution that satisfies the most fastidious content creators, the Aero laptop series. [Read More]( [] Biology [] [The first life on Earth depended on a deadly poisonous gas, study suggests]( [The first life on Earth depended on a deadly poisonous gas, study suggests]( (CHRISTOPH BURGSTEDT/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY) At one time, Earth had no life. Then, it did. Whether the process was gradual or rapid, the transformation of chemistry to biochemistry on our planet was one of the most amazing developments to happen in the universe. It's so rare that to date, we have absolutely no evidence of any form of life anywhere else in the cosmos. So what, exactly, happened? The answer to that question sits at the intersection of cutting-edge research in astronomy, biology, chemistry and geology. In a recent study, researchers propose that it may take the whole planet to raise a self-replicating molecule, involving a complex interaction of hydrogen-rich meteorites, volcanic activity, warm ponds and an unlikely precursor for life: hydrogen cyanide. Full Story: [Live Science]( (2/1) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Quiz [] POLL QUESTION: Archaeologists found the 1,400-year-old remains of a horse's body in Germany, but did they ever find the animal's head? (Learn the answer [here]() [Vote]( [Yes]( [Vote]( [No](   [Sign Up]( | [Update Profile]( | [Unsubscribe]( [Privacy Policy]( | [Cookies Policy]( | [Terms and Conditions]( CONTACT US: [FEEDBACK](mailto:livescience@smartbrief.com) | [ADVERTISE]( Future US LLC © 1100 13th St. NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005