The possibility of using public service ads to reduce fossil fuel consumption is considered. Scientists study whether or not Alzheimer's can actually be transmitted from one person to another. And the seemingly religious behavior of chimps is examined. It's Earthy Thursday, our weekly segment on science and Earth-related news! All this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!
Today, the use of public service ads warning about the dangers of cigarette smoking are commonplace. Fifty years ago it would have been unimaginable. Could a similar revolution take place to warn consumers about the dangers of excessive fossil fuel consumption?
Here on Earth, snow is pretty universally frozen water. But that's not the case everywhere in the cosmos. New evidence reveals that it may snow methane on Pluto.
As a neurodegenerative disease, Alzheimer's is one of the greatest health issues facing the world today. Generally, it is believe Alzheimer's arises within each individual on its own. But could it also transmit between people like an infection? Scientific American has more details.
Frequent customers of farmer's markets and the like may be aware of the "squeeze it" test with fresh fruit to determine if they're ripe. But could the same principle apply to much smaller biota? Say, fertilized human eggs? Perhaps so, it would seem.
Religion, it is generally agreed, is a deeply human behavior. But until now little evidence has suggested that other animals practice it. That may have changed with the observation of a chimpanzee community in Guinea, which appeared to be engaging in "sacred rituals."