Family in 'unbearable pain' after alligator kills woman in Florida
Breauna Dorris says her mother may have been walking to or from a campsite when the animal attacked.
2023-09-25 23:29
New language discovered in ancient Bronze Age ruins
Ancient clay tablets unearthed from ancient ruins in Turkey by archaeologists have revealed a language lost to the passages of time. The new language was discovered in the ancient capital of the Hittite Empire at Hattusa (known as Boğazköy-Hattusha). The well-preserved tablets are among many incredible artworks found at the site - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Over the past four decades, researchers have dusted off nearly 30,000 unique tablets - with most written in Hittite. New research, however, shows that some of the tablet haul shows that they are written in a language previously unknown to modern man. Of course, the meaning and words of this language have not been deciphered, but it appears from early inspection to branch off from languages used within the Hittite Empire - and is being referred to as Kalašma. Interestingly though, researchers from the Istanbul Department of the German Archaeological Institute have noted that the new language is found within a recitation in a 'cultic ritual text'. While that's usually the basis of a middling horror movie, we're certain that there's nothing to worry about - it stems from an ancient Hittite practice. Professor Daniel Schwemer explains that the discovery wasn't unexpected. "The Hittites were uniquely interested in recording rituals in foreign languages," he said. These ritual texts provide insight into little-known languages, and thanks to this discovery, one more has been added to the list. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-09-25 23:28
Overreaction Monday: The Kirk Cousins trade destination no one is talking about
If the Minnesota Vikings do trade away Kirk Cousins, a potential destination could be the Las Vegas Raiders given the weapons at their disposal.
2023-09-25 23:27
Bradley Carnell remarks on unforgettable first season in MLS with St Louis City
St Louis City have experienced a terrific first season in MLS.
2023-09-25 23:17
Doping-US figure skater Zhou slams anti-doping system's failures ahead of Valieva hearing
The global anti-doping system is "failing athletes", American figure skater Vincent Zhou said on Monday ahead of Russian
2023-09-25 23:17
Scientists believe alien life could exist under 'impossible' conditions
Scientists have found that one of the key pillars of theory around how life works – that it depends on carbon – may not be the case on other planets. Here on Earth, life depends on organic compounds which are composed of carbon, and often involve other elements such as sulphur, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and phosphorus. With organic compounds, life is partly sustained by chemical interactions called autocatalysis, which are self-sustaining. That means they produce molecules which then enable the reaction to happen again, and do not need any outside influence to keep going on. In the new study, scientists looked for autocatalysis in non-organic compounds. The theory is that if autocatalysis helps drive a process called abiogenesis – the origin process for life – then this origin process could also come from non-organic matter. Betül Kaçar, an astrobiologist, bacteriologist and evolutionary biologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told news outlet Space.com: “It's important to explore these possibilities so that we have an idea of what all forms of life can look like, not just Earth life.” "One of the major reasons that origin-of-life researchers care about autocatalysis is because reproduction — a key feature of life — is an example of autocatalysis. “Life catalyses the formation of more life. One cell produces two cells, which can become four and so on. “As the number of cells multiply, the number and diversity of possible interactions multiplies accordingly.” The scientists searched in a huge trove of existing scientific documents for examples of autocatalysis, and found 270 different cycles of the reactions. Most of the 270 examples did not feature organic compounds, but rather elements which are rare in life forms such as mercury, or the radioactive metal thorium. “It was thought that these sorts of reactions are very rare,” Kaçar said in a statement. “We are showing that it's actually far from rare. You just need to look in the right place.” Now, it means scientists can test these cycles to get a better understanding of how autocatalysis can work. “The cycles presented here are an array of basic recipes that can be mixed and matched in ways that haven't been tried before on our planet,” said study author Zhen Peng, also an evolutionary biologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “They might lead to the discovery of completely new examples of complex chemistry that work in conditions where carbon- or even silicon-based cycles are too either combusted or frozen out.” The scientists published their findings in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-09-25 23:16
Portland Timbers extend winning streak after 3-2 triumph over Colorado Rapids
Portland Timbers just keep on winning.
2023-09-25 23:15
Interest rates will stay high 'as long as necessary,' the European Central Bank's leader says
The head of the European Central Bank says interest rates will stay high enough to restrict business activity for “as long as necessary” to beat back inflation because upward pressure on prices “remains strong.”
2023-09-25 22:59
US establishes diplomatic relations with Cook Islands and Niue
The US is formally establishing diplomatic relations with a pair of Pacific Island nations Monday, recognizing the Cook Islands and Niue for the first time.
2023-09-25 22:55
ECB's Lagarde bets that rates held at record high will curb inflation
FRANKFURT The European Central Bank's record high deposit rate could help cut inflation to 2%, ECB President Christine
2023-09-25 22:52
5 breakout fantasy football stars to pick up for Week 4
A pair of Texans and the top scorer of the week highlight the best fantasy football pickups for Week 4.
2023-09-25 22:49
Overreaction Monday: The Justin Fields trade that would get everyone involved fired
The Chicago Bears are eye-gougingly horrendous. To make matters worse, Justin Fields might stink. So even if they traded him, here is one destination that would get everybody involved fired. Where is he going?
2023-09-25 22:23
