Measles first spread to humans from cattle more than 2,500 years ago, likely during the rise of the first large cities, scientists claim. The measles virus, measles morbillivirus, diverged from a closely related cattle-infecting virus in approximately the sixth century BC – around 1,400 years earlier than current estimates. The highly-contagious virus emerged at roughly … Read more
Humans are able to determine whether a chimpanzee is happy, sad or angry and why they might be feeling that way just by listening to their calls, a new study shows. Researchers from the University of Amsterdam played different chimp calls to more than 3,400 volunteers and asked them to determine the mood and situation. … Read more
Japanese Science and Technology Ministry predicts virtual reality and automation will dramatically reshape society in 20 years, making it possible for humans to ‘talk’ with their pets and more New white paper from Japan predicts technology will reshape society The researchers say VR will allow humans to communicate directly with pets They also expect robots … Read more
Prehistoric pioneers moving out of Africa and on to Arabia 5,000 years ago feasted on shellfish as a way to sustain themselves, a new study found. Archaeologists from the University of York studied fossil reefs near to the now-submerged Red Sea shorelines that marked prehistoric migratory routes. These routes took our ancestors out of Africa … Read more
Hummingbirds can spot at least eight colours that are invisible to humans, a study has found. Humans have three types of light-sensitive cone in their eyes, enabling them to see red, green and blue. But birds have a fourth – ultraviolet – revealing colours we can’t even imagine. The difference means that while man can … Read more
About half of Earth’s ice-free land remains unaltered by humans and can still be protected with swift conservation measures, a new study shows. US researchers compared four recent global maps showing the conversion of natural lands to ‘anthropogenic land’ – land that has been exploited by humans. Encouragingly, about half, or somewhere between 48 and … Read more
No use hiding your age: Scientists develop an eye scanner that can detect and track biological ageing in humans for the first time by analysing proteins in their lenses The team created an eye scanner that can tell someone’s ‘real’ or biological age There is no universal method for tracking a person’s biological age, authors … Read more
Pet owners are warned they CAN give their cats and dogs COVID-19 but it’s unlikely animals can infect humans, CDC says Two pet cats in New York tested positive for the novel coronavirus in April Both lived in households with people who were either suspected or confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 The CDC says pets … Read more
Non-native ‘alien’ species introduced by humans to an area near to a protected wildlife site are destroying natural habitats and killing local species, study warns. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Science and University College London found that protected areas across the globe were at risk from these ‘alien’ species. The team say the majority … Read more
Neanderthals, Denisovans and Homo sapiens were so closely related that they were able to interbreed and have offspring that were fertile and healthy, a study suggests. Analysis from the University of Oxford reveals the species were more genetically similar than brown bears and polar bears are today. This significant overlap provided genetic compatibility and allowed … Read more