Russian engineers proposed using drones to fight field mice. UAVs can remotely find vole colonies and deliver targeted anti-rodent chemicals. Read More
All posts filed under “Science”
Siberian farmers may stop plowing the land
Russian scientists proposed replacing traditional methods of cultivating crops with two resource-saving methods: minimal and zero tillage. Such methods help obtain a high yield with maximum profitability and reduce the negative impact on the environment. Read More
Scientists have studied zombie insects in Primorye. This will help farmers deal with pests
In 2018, Russian scientists studied parasitic fungi, killer organisms that turn insects into zombies. One of them, Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, sprouts inside the bodies of ants, turning the victim into an obedient puppet. The infected insect wanders in search of a favorable place for the growth of its new owner. Having reached the ideal shelter, the parasitic mushroom paralyzes an insect and slowly kills it. Next, the fruiting body of the fungus springs from the victim’s head, releasing deadly spores into the air. Read More
Stone tools from India show early toolmaking advances
Around 400,000 years ago, human ancestors began to innovate. Suddenly the large hand axes that their predecessors had manufactured for more than a million years weren’t enough anymore. From this point they began fashioning sophisticated new kinds of stone tools. A site on the Indian subcontinent became one of such innovation centers, a kind of Middle Paleolithic Silicon Valley. Read More
Birds saved centuries old documents in their nests
Photos by Alexey Alexeyev.
During the restoration work in the Assumption Cathedral built in early XV century in Zvenigorod Russian archaeologists found numerous birds’ nests built throughout several centuries under the decayed roof. Researchers were surprised when during the decomposition of the nests they started finding paper documents from different periods in the addition to birds’ bones and eggshells. In particular, they found 18th century manuscripts and notes from early 20th century. Read More