Earth’s molten core suddenly reversed direction — and scientists don’t know why

· 5 min read

Liquid iron in Earth's outer core can behave in surprising ways. Scientists discovered that a large flow of molten material deep beneath the Pacific Ocean changed direction for reasons that remain unclear. Data from ESA satellites helped researchers trace the shift and build a more detailed picture of what is happening near the center of the planet.

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Meet the Devon man with 'a museum of footballs'

· 4 min read
Image caption,

Simon Francis believes his collection of footballs is "one that nobody else really wanted"

ByCameron Weldon

in Modbury

Mitre footballs have become synonymous with the "beautiful game" but for Simon Francis they are a passion project.

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Wearable ultrasound patch boosts REM sleep without drugs or surgery

· 3 min read

Researchers led by the University of Texas at Austin have created a soft wearable patch that improved REM sleep in real-world testing without medication or surgery. Known as NEUSLeeP, the device combines gentle ultrasound stimulation with electrodes that track brain activity as it happens. This allows the patch to influence deep areas of the brain involved in sleep while also monitoring the brain's response.

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Scientists rediscover lost Megalodon fossils—and reveal a 79-foot giant

· 5 min read

Museums are supposed to be havens for the collective cultural and scientific heritage of the planet, but specimens sometimes go missing.

Happily, they can also be rediscovered, as a new study shows, with the vertebrae of the legendary predatory shark known to the world under its old name of Megalodon (now properly Otodus megalodon) turning up on a museum shelf decades after they were seemingly lost.

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