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Have bite-mark forensics bitten the dust?

19 July 2023

Feedback looks at the looking into of who (human and shark) bit what (shark and human)

Big dog meets small dog; Shutterstock ID 2045462630; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

This week’s new questions

19 July 2023

How do dogs recognise another animal is also a dog when there is such vast array of canine shapes and sizes? And why can’t we conjure up smell and touch in our heads, but we can “listen” to music when nothing is coming through our ears?

MNN37P Illustration comparing the planets of the Solar System and the Sun on the same scale. The planets are shown to scale relative to each other but their distances are not. From left to right the bodies are: the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

Will the planets of our solar system ever line up in a row? (Part 2)

19 July 2023

Only every 100 billion years, says one reader - longer than the lifetime of the current stable solar system

Bengal cat washing itself on bed; Shutterstock ID 1123136123; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Why do cats wash themselves, while dogs don’t?

19 July 2023

Cats hate getting wet but dogs don’t, say our readers - who also hint that cats may have evolved to a superior level to their canine companions

iss067e189024 (July 16, 2022) --- The sun's rays begin to illuminate the Earth's atmosphere as the International Space Station flew into an orbital sunrise 261 miles above Texas. iss067e189024 NASA ID: iss067e189024 iss067e189024 (July 16, 2022) --- The sun's rays begin to illuminate the Earth's atmosphere as the International Space Station flew into an orbital sunrise 261 miles above Texas. Date Created:2022-07-16 Center:JSC

When was the first sunrise on Earth?

19 July 2023

This is a question of how we define “Earth”, say our readers, but we also need to consider when light from the young sun could have pierced Earth’s atmosphere

Puzzle #231: How far did I walk, compared with my dog Zippy?

19 July 2023

Can you solve this week’s arithmetical puzzle, Bark run? Plus the answer to puzzle #230

2DCB2RF making a mini sandarium for wild bees, bowl is filled with crocks for drainage, series picture 4/18, Germany

Why putting broken pottery in your plant pot won't help with drainage

19 July 2023

Putting a layer of "crocks", or broken pottery, in the base of flower pots won't improve drainage – and may actually worsen it, says James Wong

Long Exposure Of Tungurahua Volcano Exploding In The Night Of 29 11 2011 Ecuador Shot With Canon Eos Mark Iv Converted From Raw Large Amount Of Noise Visible At Full Size; Shutterstock ID 109905245; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Stunning image of erupting volcano reminds us of Earth’s violent past

19 July 2023

This photo of Tungurahua, a volcano exploding in the Ecuadorian night, comes from an illustrated book to accompany a TV series about Earth’s deep history