The Mark Zuckerberg vs. Ted Cruz Showdown Was the Most Explosive Part of Today's Facebook TestimonyJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science For the better part of its first two hours, Mark Zuckerberg's testimony before Congress on Tuesday was a tedious affair. Mark Zuckerberg Reveals Cambridge Analytica Acquired His Personal DataJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science He was one of the 87 million Facebook users affected by the scandal Zuckerberg tells GOP lawmakers Facebook isn't biased against conservativesJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, politics Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg dismissed the suggestion by several Republican lawmakers on Wednesday that the social media network is biased against conservative content — but admitted that he is worried about the issue of censorship on the platform in general. Paul Ryan, lame duck: What does the future hold for him?JAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, politics Without much precedent in recent U.S. history, House Speaker Paul Ryan is entering an extended lame-duck period before the 115th Congress concludes. How will this announcement affect Republican morale and Ryan’s future? Pence replacing Trump at Peru summit. But name that matters most is MonroeJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, world The political leaders of Latin America may have been justified in daring to hope over recent years that the Monroe Doctrine was a thing of the past. Indeed it seemed – as a succession of US presidents starting with Bill Clinton in 1994 emphasized hemispheric partnership over backyard dominance – that the 19th-century policy declaring Latin America the sole domain of the United States was a relic that had been retired. Barack Obama had appeared to provide the coda, ending the last cold-war-era conflict in the region by normalizing relations with Cuba. Hungary plants two kinds of seedsJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, world Democracy’s decline in recent years has been a slow-moving trend, one marked by a steady erosion of rights and rule of law more than military coups. About 60 percent of 129 countries have seen a decline in political rights since 2006. A good example of the trend is Hungary. Mark Zuckerberg's Testimony Is Bringing Out the Internet's Best Facebook JokesJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science The Facebook CEO is facing a two-day Congressional inquisition Amazon Alexa spouts conspiracy theory when asked about chemtrailsJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Ask Alexa about chemtrails, and she'll tell you it's a government conspiracy. Seriously. "Chemtrails: Trails left by aircraft are actually chemical or biological agents deliberately sprayed at high altitudes for a purpose undisclosed to the general public in clandestine programs directed by government officials," my Amazon Echo responds when asked "What's a chemtrail." SEE ALSO: Alexa now understands casual time-based music requests — but there's a catch Image: Mashable ScreenshotLet's be clear, here. Chemtrails are not "biological agents deliberately sprayed" by "government officials," despite what the popular conspiracy theory touts. A study published in the journal
Environmental Research Letters concluded that the theory was bunk. The study found that 76 out of 77 atmospheric chemists and geochemists had found no evidence supporting the a chemical spraying program by aircraft. Rather, chemtrails are actually contrails, a visible cloud-like trail produced by aircraft when heat and water vapor is emitted in the cold, dry upper atmosphere. This is not the first time Amazon's Echo has made headlines for its ridiculous responses. Most recently, Alexa was creeping out its users for laughing randomly. Mashable has reached out to Amazon for information, including where the Echo obtained this answer. WATCH: How sound effects for your favorite movies are made More States Are Pushing for 'FreeJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Advocates say giving children more freedom helps both anxiety-plagued parents and their overscheduled progeny Trump Warns Russia Missiles 'Will Be Coming' in SyriaJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science He warned of an impending U.S. missile strike in Syria This Luxury Space Hotel Is Taking ReservationsJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science The Aurora Station, the "world's first luxury space hotel," orbiting 200 miles above the earth, is looking for guests. Chemical Weapons Experts to Inspect Gassed Syrian Town, Possibly to Prevent U.S. Military ActionJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science It was not clear whether the announcement would delay or prevent a U.S. strike Republicans wonder who will fill Ryan’s shoesJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, politics Republicans ponder who will lead the party after House Speaker Paul Ryan announced that he will not seek reelection in November. Paul Ryan’s legacy looks a lot like Donald Trump’sJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, politics When Speaker Paul Ryan announced Wednesday that he would not seek reelection this fall, some on both the left and the anti-Trump right expressed hope that Ryan would now be free to stand up against President Trump. Ana Navarro, a Republican CNN contributor who has spoken out against President Trump, had a similar reaction: “Paul Ryan has 8 months as Speaker,” wrote Navarro on Twitter. President Trump Has Signed an Executive Order Pushing Work Requirements in Return for WelfareJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Advocates argue that strict requirements could be disastrous for those in need Unfiltered: ‘It would be my privilege to defend a Nazi.’JAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, politics At the Greenberg Law office in Brooklyn, framed advertisements reading “The Real Call Saul” hang on the walls between tongue-in-cheek posters for movies like “Devil’s Advocate.” A small, wiry-haired man sits at a desk with sheets of notes splayed out before him. “My name is Howard Greenberg,” he says. Greenberg is no one to mess with: He has garnered a reputation as one of Manhattan’s craziest – and most successful – defense lawyers, having represented roughly 4,000 defendants and produced an unusually high number of acquittals and dismissals in cases where such results were thought to be impossible. Trump warns Russia: Missiles 'will be coming' to SyriaJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, politics President Trump on Wednesday vowed to respond to last week’s chemical attack with an air strike but said he would not specify timing publicly. The New Solo Trailer Teases a Major Star Wars TwistJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science "Assume everyone will betray you" Investors pour nearly $1 billion into space companies in Q1JAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science The space industry started the first quarter of this year the way it ended the last – with hundreds of millions in private funding. Amal Clooney Calls for Gun Control: 'This Doesn’t Happen in Other Developed Countries'JAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Here's what the international human rights lawyer had to say Zuckerberg on delay in 'banning' Cambridge AnalyticaJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says Cambridge Analytica was not a client of the social network in 2015, therefore Facebook 'nothing to ban' when they learned of the scandal. Ancient human finger bone found in Saudi Arabia ‘could rewrite human history’JAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science It could rewrite the story of man's journey out of Africa Thank you for shooting: Will the NRA go the way of the tobacco lobby?JAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, politics The tobacco lobby’s influence over Washington waned as public consciousness about the links between cigarettes and cancer grew. The NRA is using many of the tobacco industry’s old tactics, such as suppressing research and invoking personal responsibility, but can it survive the growing pro-gun control movement? Eyebrows May Have Played an Important Role in Human Evolution, Researchers SayJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science If you hadn’t noticed, we humans have highly expressive eyebrows which play a major role in the non-verbal communication of our feelings and thoughts. This feature may have had significant implications for the evolution of our species, according to researchers from the University of York, England. The ancestors of modern humans once had a very pronounced ridge on their brow, as well as relatively inflexible, inconspicuous eyebrows. When I Finally Told My Professor I Was Masking My DisabilitiesJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science After two months of pushing herself, she realized she needed to tell her mentor and professor about her disabilities. This is how her professor responded. Here Are 5 Ways a Trade War Could Hurt YouJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science The scale of tensions between President Trump and his Chinese counterparts over tariffs and trade can be hard to comprehend. Rep. Walden: Facebook users left in dark about public dataJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Republican congressman from Oregon joins Dana to discuss what to expect from Mark Zuckerberg's congressional testimony. Bill Cosby Paid His Sexual Assault Accuser Nearly $3.4 Million in Settlement, Prosecutor SaysJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Cosby, 80, is charged with drugging and molesting Andrea Constand in 2004 Sen. Cruz challenges Zuckerberg over Facebook's neutralityJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg responds to questions from Texas Senator Ted Cruz about whether Facebook is a neutral public forum or a biased tool for political advocacy and whether or not the CEO requires new employees to share political views. Did Senate's Zuckerberg interrogation accomplish anything?JAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Senator and John Kennedy on whether they were satisfied with the Facebook CEO's answers before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. #Tucker A ‘Russian Troll’ Appeared at Mark Zuckerberg’s Senate Testimony — and You’ve Seen Them BeforeJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science The activist dressed as the Monopoly man at the 2017 Equifax hearing U.S., Allies Weighing a More Severe Response to Syria's Suspected Chemical Weapons AttackJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science As President Donald Trump weighs a military response to the alleged chemical weapons attack in western Syria, allies are ready to join. New way of defining Alzheimer's aims to find disease soonerJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Government and other scientists are proposing a new way to define Alzheimer's disease — basing it on biological signs, such as brain changes, rather than memory loss and other symptoms of dementia that are used today. The Poisoned Daughter of a Russian ExJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Skripal, 33, has been taken to a "secure" location, according to the BBC How to Watch Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's Congressional Testimony LiveJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Here's how to watch the Facebook founder and CEO's testimony live from Capitol Hill Workers discover mummified monkey in old department storeJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, odd news MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Workers renovating the old Dayton's department store in downtown Minneapolis have discovered a mystery: the mummified remains of a monkey. 'It Was My Mistake, and I'm Sorry.' Mark Zuckerberg Is About to Face Tough Questions From CongressJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science It is the first time in his career that he has gone before Congress Fossil find gives middle finger to previous understanding of human exodus from AfricaJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Even for a desert, the Nefud is nearly bone-dry. Only about an inch of water falls onto the red, sandy soil in northern Saudi Arabia over the course of a year. But 85,000 years ago, hippos roamed the Nefud. At that time, heavy, monsoonal downpours filled thousands of lakes in the region. Rivers and streams criss-crossed the land. Leaping gazelles and wild cattle munched on the grasslands. And it appears that an early group of humans followed these African animals to this once-hospitable land. SEE ALSO: It turns out Neanderthals painted art inside these European caves, not humans Archaeologists spent a decade sifting through the sands in this now dry and grossly understudied region of the world. Among a rich collection of primitive tools and animals bones found there, the researchers discovered a single bone from a modern human's middle finger. The 90,000-year-old specimen, an inch and quarter in length (3.2 centimeters), is now the oldest-known human fossil outside of Africa and The Levant (the biblical area around the eastern Mediterranean, which includes modern-day Israel and Jordan). New research detailing that discovery, published Monday in the journal
Nature Ecology and Evolution, alters our understanding of a seminal time in human history: when we left Africa and eventually spread out across the globe. Researchers surveying the Al Wusta site where the middle finger bone was found.Image: Klint JanulisNear the team's dig site called Al Wusta, east of the Red Sea, the team had previously located many archaeologically-intriguing places filled with animal bones. "One thing was always missing," Huw Groucutt, an archaeologist at the University of Oxford's Institute of Archaeology and lead author of the study, told reporters in a call last week. "Ancient human fossils," he said. Humans became a completely unique species around 200,000 years ago, in Africa. Eventually, we began to leave. The widely-accepted theory of human expansion out of Africa held that there was a first major movement into The Levant some 130,000 years ago (but perhaps earlier). Here, we inhabited places like caves in present-day Israel. Later, some 60,000 years ago, there is thought to have been a second major human dispersal out of Africa. But with the discovery of this middle finger fossil, the study's authors argue that we probably moved out of Africa many times. This single fossil puts us in Arabia around 85,000 years ago, some 20,000 years earlier than previously thought. These remarkable journeys by foot, then, "were far more complicated than our textbooks tell us," Michael Petraglia, an archaeologist at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History and study co-author, told reporters last week. The approximate location of the Al Wusta archaeological site.Image: Google maps"The argument is that
Homo sapiens got to The Levant and stayed there for long periods of time and never moved geographically anywhere else," Petraglia said, referring the first major movement north. "And our findings shows that to be a false proposition." "
Homo sapiens
made it far wider geographically than just being in The Levant itself." The discovery will likely encourage more archaeologists to journey into the hyper-arid Nefud desert, and beyond. "I think this is a cool discovery and it definitely suggests that we need to explore the Arabian peninsula much more for fossil humans and their ancestors," John Hawks, an anthropologist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, who was not involved in the study, said via email. But while this middle finger bone certainly improves our understanding of early human history, anthropologists point out that it doesn't radically overhaul our past. We knew humans were migrating in this general time period — we just don't fully understand how or where. "It is evolutionary — but not revolutionary," Ellen Miller, a biological anthropologist at Wake Forest University who was not part of the study, said in an interview. "It doesn't make us rewrite history, but it is another piece in the puzzle." Hippo bones helped fill in the story A major reason why the archaeologists traveled to the remote Nefud desert is because scientists had previously found a rich collection of dried-up lakes and animal bones there — notably from large fauna like hippos. And where there are hippos, there is plentiful vegetation and water. "It’s wet enough that you would think it would have a carrying capacity for hominids," said Trenton Holliday, chair of the Department of Anthropology at Tulane University who played no part in the research. The Al Wusta archeological site. The dried0up lake, shown by the whiter sediments, can be seen in the background.Image: Michael PetragliaAdditionally, having animal bones gave the researchers a significantly more confident idea about the time humans were inhabiting this once humid, lake-filled woodland. The archaeologists could date the actual bone, the animal bones nearby (such as a hippopotamus tooth), and the soil the bones were found in to date the fossil. "The ages all agree," said Groucutt. How do we know it's a finger bone from a modern human? Identifying a single finger bone as belonging to a modern human is not always a simple task, according to Holliday. However, that doesn't mean it's impossible to figure it out. Although our evolutionary hominid cousins, like Neanderthals, have similar hands, biological anthropologists can pick out a
Homo sapiens' bone with near absolute certainty. Scientists can directly compare a bone like this to the fossils of other hominids, and see a distinct difference. For example, Holliday noted that earlier hominids tend to have broader middle finger bones than humans. "It's a modern human," said Holliday, adding that he could tell that it was a modern human from images of the bone and reading the measurements. The bone, though around 85,000 years old, is nearly indistinguishable from that of a human alive in 2018. "If you stuck it into a burial today, nobody would blink," Holliday said. The study's authors are confident it's a middle finger bone but, it should be noted, they do concede that it may belong to another similar finger, like the index finger. Six different views of the middle finger bone, including from atop and below.Image: Ian CartwrightThe research team spent over a year scrutinizing this particular bone. The now-famous bone traveled the globe, going to Australia for dating analysis and being sent to the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom before landing at its current resting spot, in Germany. At Cambridge, researchers used a technique called tomography to peer inside the bone, which involves using a large X-ray machine to scan its internal structure. "These studies very strongly demonstrated that this finger bone belongs to a member of our species," said Oxford's Groucutt. That said, it's still just one fossil. Why weren't more human bones found? "It is odd that we found only one fossil," said Groucutt. "But it's very rare for things to fossilize," he said, noting that anything dead has to be buried quickly. And even if that occurs, a whole host of things have to go right for a bone to be naturally preserved. "The rest of the body must have just weathered away," he said. But there certainly may be other modern human fossils lying around. Generally, the Arabian Peninsula hasn't been studied too well compared to other regions in the world. "Really, there are large chunks of the world that are unexplored," said Petraglia. Arabia has few active archaeological sites like Al Wusta, "but
places like Europe are absolutely crowded with dozens of teams that have been working for decades," he said. "We have huge biases in our knowledge about what's going on in certain parts of the world," said Petraglia. For this reason, today's highly-valued middle finger could very well be overshadowed by another, older bone, found somewhere else under the harsh Arabian sun. And with it, our understanding of early human history will again be altered. "It's the earliest for now," said Holliday. "Until we find the next thing." WATCH: Software used to study stars is helping protect the rarest and most endangered animals on Earth 1 in 3 Americans Don’t Know That a Gender Wage Gap Exists, Survey SaysJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science ‘To close the pay gap, we need to close the awareness gap’ Beached whale dies despite rescue efforts at Argentina resortJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science A whale that ran aground on a beach in Mar del Plata, Argentina's biggest seaside resort, has died despite rescue efforts to get it back into the sea. The eight-meter whale, which weighed around six tonnes (6,000 kilos or 13,200 pounds), ran aground on Saturday, prompting both locals and experts to try and save it in this coastal city some 400 kilometers (250 miles) south of Buenos Aires. Why Tuesday Could Define Trump's PresidencyJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Historians judge presidents by crises. Donald Trump faces two: a chemical attack in Syria and an investigation into his personal lawyer. 5 Most Deadly Chemical Weapons on Planet Earth (VX, Sarin, Mustard Gas and More)JAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Chlorine is a readily available industrial chemical with many peaceful uses, including as bleach in paper and cloth, to make pesticides, rubber, and solvents and to kill bacteria in drinking water and swimming pools. Chlorine did not figure in Assad’s initial stockpile declaration in October and was not removed with the rest of Syria’s chemical weapons last month. Despite its dual-use nature, chlorine’s use as a chemical weapon is still banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Zuckerberg says Facebook staffers have been interviewed by Mueller's teamJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, politics Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Tuesday that staffers at the social media giant have been interviewed by members of special counsel Robert Mueller's office. Zuckerberg hedges on how Facebook tracks youJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, politics Some questions about Facebook are too tricky for its chief executive to answer. Singing road strikes wrong chord with Dutch villagersJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, odd news Created by strategically laid "rumble strips" as a way of livening up journeys across the flat landscape, the novelty has worn thin for locals who say the constant droning melody is driving them mad. If hit at the correct speed - the 60 kph (40 mph) limit - the road will sing out the anthem of the Friesland region - a northern part of the Netherlands that has a distinct language and culture. The Friesland authority has agreed to remove the rumble strips later this week, local newspaper Leeuwarder Courant reported. |
