News from around the world

Neanderthal

Neanderthal DNA Determines Our Health and Appearance Today Way More Than We Thought
“The last Neanderthals died out tens of thousands of years ago, but the effects of interbreeding are still being felt today, with a new genetic study revealing that certain traits in modern humans, such as height and schizophrenia risk, can be affected by their ancient genes…” (Science Alert)

A Physicist Just Explained Why the Large Hadron Collider Disproves the Existence of Ghosts
“Recent polls have found that 42 percent of Americans and 52 percent of people in the UK believe in ghosts – a huge percentage when you consider that no one has ever come up with irrefutable proof that they even exist…” (Science Alert)

Philippines senator who branded President Duterte ‘serial killer’ arrested
“The highest-profile opponent of Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly war on drugs has been arrested – on charges of drug trafficking.” (The Guardian)

Australia’s ‘biggest ever’ antivenom dose saves boy bitten by funnel web spider
“A 10-year-old NSW central coast boy is lucky to be alive after a deadly funnel web spider bite necessitated what is believed to be the largest dose of antivenom administered in Australian history…” (The Guardian)

Turkey and Iran, allies or rivals?
“ran and Turkey have always been pragmatic in their bilateral relations, despite their rivalry and sometimes divergent positions (see Two great empires). But the Arab Spring uprisings revealed — and in some cases created — deep antagonisms…” (Le Monde diplomatique)

Europe’s only indigenous people
“The Sami number 50-65,000 in Norway, 20-40,000 in Sweden, around 8,000 in Finland and 2,000 in Russia, according to the Samer, Sweden’s National Sami Information Centre. As the last indigenous people of Europe, they made their home in northern Scandinavia and the Kola peninsula (Russia) at the end of the last ice age, 10,000 years ago…” (Le Monde diplomatique)

Indian shot dead by American spewing racial slurs in Kansas
“WASHINGTON: An Indian engineer was killed and two others injured when an American man opened fire on them after allegedly yelling “get out of my country”, with the local police calling it as a “possible hate crime…” (The Times of India)

Delhi to Paris: How a small car is taking ‘Make in India’ places
“PARIS: This was one big feat by this small car — a road trip from New Delhi to Paris through some of the world’s toughest terrains. And this grinding 19,000 km trip across 13 countries undertaken by the Kwid was to prove a point — a ‘Make in India’ car can not only beat all odds but also put its mark on the world map…” (The Times of India)

 

Photo: Tiia Monto CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons