The Drift

Welcome to today's issue of Carolina Naturally

'Nuff Said!

Today is June 20, 2023

Today is: International Tennis Day

On This Day In History

In 2020CE:  Highest-ever temperature recorded in the Arctic circle, 38C (100F) in Verkhoyansk, Siberia

Ain't That The Truth

Oh, and while you're at it - check out our sister blog Come What May for off the cuff and off the wall seriousness. Heck, who are we kidding, it's just fun and hilarity.

Editorial Comment

Making new friends - naked friends - there is never a time now that almost everyone is naked around here ...just like at the old place which we had to leave due to a job transfer. Just had to repeat that first sentence again.

We know, we know it has been a hot minute since we posted but due to some of those aforementioned friends being FWB/NSA ... well, we've been playing around and having fun

We do want to give a shout out to our readers in Canada and Japan and say thanks for stopping by to read Carolina Naturally.

Remember to have fun and enjoy life.

Editorial Staff

Inside the Bitter Mind

Life doesn’t always go our way, and plenty of developments can leave us feeling angry, cheated, and bitter.  While these life experiences may vary, we can all relate to what other people are going through and feeling.  Someone asked, “What has caused you to become bitter?”. Here are some of the experiences that others have …

Inside the Bitter Mind: Unraveling the Surprising Factors That Poison Hearts

Thought To Be Lost Forever, Researchers Make Remarkable Discovery Under The Golden Gate Bridge

Since 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge has spanned the Golden Gate strait, connecting the San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. And while the structure is something to behold, there is more than one mystery lurking underneath it in the waters.
With the help of some underwater robots, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has made it their goal to uncover the ghostly secrets hidden underneath the Golden Gate Bridge. What they found is eerie in the most extraordinary way.
Thought To Be Lost Forever, Researchers Make Remarkable Discovery Under The Golden Gate Bridge

Urbain Le Verrier's Unseen Planets

Sir Isaac Newton's laws of gravity had profound meaning for astronomers, because the mass of the planets around us, their distance, and their orbits followed these laws and made sense of what they observed. But at the time, there were only six known planets besides earth, from Mercury to Uranus. Most of them followed Newton's laws to a T., as calculated by astronomer Alexis Bouvard in 1821. But then there was Uranus, which progressed more slowly than Newton's laws would predict. Were those laws of gravitation flawed? Or was there something different about Uranus? An assistant astronomer at the Paris Observatory, Urbain Le Verrier, recorded variations in the orbits of both Uranus and Mercury. Le Verrier figured there might be another planet on the other side of Uranus, which would explain those variations. Using his hypothesis and the Uranus's orbit to chart the position of the unseen planet, Le Verrier knew where it should be, but couldn't get permission to use Paris's biggest telescopes to take a look. A colleague he knew in Berlin had access to an observatory, though, and that's how Neptune was discovered.

Le Verrier was rightfully honored for his discovery of Neptune, the first planet to be tracked by indirect information before it was observed. So then he turned his attention to the variations in Mercury's orbit and the idea that there could be another planet beyond Mercury even closer to the sun. When amateur astronomer Dr. Edmond Lescarbault observed a disc racing across the surface of the sun, Le Verrier announced another discovery- the planet Vulcan.
Now, you probably only know the planet Vulcan from Star Trek, and not from your science classes. You know what happened to Neptune (it's still there), but what about Vulcan? Read that story at Damn Interesting.

These Newly Discovered 12,000-Year-Old Instruments Had An Extremely Unusual Purpose

A collection of prehistoric flutes once used by the ancient Natufians has been unearthed in Israel, and, when played, they mimic the calls of birds of prey. Carved – somewhat ironically – from bird bones, the diminutive flutes date back 12,000 years and are among the smallest prehistoric instruments ever found. They're far from playable, but researchers constructed replicas using computer software and found that they emitted a sound similar to that of the Eurasian sparrowhawk or common kestrel, likely for music-making and use during hunting.

These Newly Discovered 12,000-Year-Old Instruments Had An Extremely Unusual Purpose

Friend showing how ...

Why Do We Yawn and Why Is It Contagious?

Unravel the intriguing phenomenon of yawning in our exploration of its mysterious triggers and contagious nature. We dissect the theories behind yawning, from brain cooling to shifting states of consciousness, and delve into the connection between empathy and contagious yawning.

Why Do We Yawn and Why Is It Contagious?

The relationship between your genes and the food you eat

Did you know that our genes play an important role in how we process nutrients? Equally, different nutrients have different effects on our genes. But can we use this information to our advantage? Is it possible to determine whether or not we're generically predisposed to certain conditions? And if so, how can we adjust our diets for better health? Enter the field of nutrigenomics.
In this post, you'll get to know more about this scientific branch that looks at the relationship between genes and nutrients, and the impact it may have on our health.
The relationship between your genes and the food you eat

Half The Gut Microbes In Our Primate Ancestors Abandoned Us

There are all kinds of bacteria living in our gut, contributing to the healthy (or unhealthy) processes going on inside our bodies, but it turns out that we've lost a lot of the microbes that we once shared with our ancient primate ancestors.
Looking at genetic material in the guts of modern-day chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes and P. t. schweinfurthii) and bonobos (P. paniscus), researchers traced back the lineages of their gut bacteria millions of years, before comparing them with the microbes that now live in human beings and African apes (our closest evolutionary relatives).
The analysis showed that many types of primate gut bacteria have evolved over that time, including in humans, but that a significant number of the bacteria that have evolved (or "co-diversified") with their hosts have been lost in Homo sapiens.
"This is the first microbiome-wide study showing that there are a great number of ancestral co-diversifying bacteria that have been co-living within primates and humans for millions of years," says evolutionary biologist Andrew Moeller from Cornell University in New York.
Half The Gut Microbes In Our Primate Ancestors Abandoned Us

“Viking Disease” Might Have Actually Come From This Ancient Human Cousin

When the Vikings raided the isles of Northern Europe, they left in their wake a crippling hand condition. Officially called Dupuytren’s contracture after the French surgeon who discovered it in 1831, it's often dubbed the “Viking disease” after the infamous Scandinavians who introduced it. But new genetic evidence suggests the real culprit is a far more distant cousin — our kissing cousins, the Neanderthals.
In a study published Wednesday in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution, researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden combed through over 7,800 individual genomes collected from three biobanks in the US, UK, and Finland. They found 61 genes associated with Dupuytren’s contracture, three of which appeared Neanderthal in origin and may be involved in disease susceptibility.
“This is a case where the meeting with Neanderthals has affected who suffers from [the] illness,” Hugo Zeberg, study lead and assistant professor at the Karolinska Institutet, said in a press release.
Dupuytren’s contracture results in a build-up of scar tissue in the hand from inflammation, which causes the fingers to bend permanently. The condition is largely considered genetic — more common in people of Northern European descent — but other factors like alcohol and tobacco use, diabetes, age, and sex (men being three times more likely) also appear to contribute to one’s chance of developing the disease.
“Viking Disease” Might Have Actually Come From This Ancient Human Cousin

Neanderthal genes still influence modern humans

Recent studies have found that Neanderthal genes comprise between one and four percent of the genome of present-day humans. However, how much those genes are still actively influencing human traits has largely remained a mystery. 
Now, a multi-institutional team of researchers led by Cornell University has developed a set of computational genetic tools to clarify the genetic traces of interbreeding between humans of non-African ancestry and Neanderthals that occurred about 50,000 years ago. 
The analysis revealed that, although some Neanderthal genes are responsible for certain traits in modern humans - including several with a substantial influence on the immune system - modern human genes seem to be winning out over successive generations.
Neanderthal genes still influence modern humans

Humans ventured through Asia's forests much earlier than we thought

Humans can be found pretty much everywhere on the planet, but this wasn’t always the case. After Homo sapiens first emerged in Africa about 300,000 years ago, it was the beginning of a long journey as our species spread to distant corners of the world. 
Previously, evidence largely supported that the early voyage from Africa to Southeast Asia and eventually Australia was by the seaside: Our ancestors stuck to coastal and island locations, moving through today’s Sumatra, Philippines, and Borneo. But new findings show that island-hopping may have been just one method of travel for the humans who  became Australia’s First People. A paper published June 13 in Nature Communications outlines how modern humans passed by a cave in Northern Laos on their way through Asia, around 40,000 years earlier than anthropologists had thought. 
The findings from the Tam Pà Ling cave demonstrate two crucial discoveries—that modern humans moved through Arabia and Asia much earlier than previously known, and that these humans weren’t afraid to travel through woods and forests to get there. 
Humans ventured through Asia's forests much earlier than we thought

Scientists Confirm Iconic Ancient Human Lucy Walked Upright

There’s some news about everyone’s favorite great-great-great-great-great-(etc.) aunt, Lucy. Also known as AL 288-1 and Dinkinesh, our shared ancestor (or rather, 40 percent of her skeleton) was discovered in 1974 in Ethiopia. This female hominid species Australopithecus afarensis died sometime in her early twenties but is about 3.18 million years old. Yes, that Lucy.
We already know, through plentiful evidence, that she, as well as her contemporaries, were walking upright on two feet even before the introduction of stone tools or enlarged human brains. In a sense, bipedalism was one of humanity’s first steps (literally) toward becoming ourselves.
But exactly how she walked upright is still largely unknown. Lucy’s remains, which are all skeletal, only tell us so much, such as her approximate height (three and a half feet) and weight (60 to 65 pounds). But did Lucy walk fully erect like we do or on bent knees like a chimp or bonobo?
Now we have more solid evidence than ever that Lucy walked on outstretched legs straightened beneath her — and probably ran, too. This research, published on June 13 in the journal Royal Society Open Science, drew from a novel, painstaking computer simulation to render a digital reconstruction of Lucy’s legs and musculature.
Scientists Confirm Iconic Ancient Human Lucy Walked Upright — And She Was Jacked

Animal Pictures

The Drift

Welcome to today's issue of Carolina Naturally

'Nuff Said!

Today is June 14, 2023

Today is: Flag Day

On This Day In History

In 1821CE: Badi VII, king of Sennar, surrenders his throne and realm to Ismail Pasha, general of the Ottoman Empire, bringing the 300-year-old Sudanese kingdom to an end.

Ain't That The Truth

Oh, and while you're at it - check out our sister blog Come What May for off the cuff and off the wall seriousness. Heck, who are we kidding, it's just fun and hilarity.

Editorial Comment

Gotta catch some vitamin D between the thunderstorms.

Good thing about being naked is no wet clingy clothes after it rains.

We do want to give a shout out to our readers in the UK and the US and say thanks for stopping by to read Carolina Naturally.

Remember to have fun and enjoy life.

Editorial Staff

Do birds dream of flying?

Sleep is a universal experience that encompasses complex biological functions. For us humans, it is divided into different phases – rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep. These sleep phases have unique associations with our physiology, brain activity, and cognition. 
During REM sleep, our brain activity peaks and ushers in vivid, peculiar, and emotional dreams. Meanwhile, non-REM sleep, a time of metabolic slowdown, enables the brain to flush out waste products. This cleaning mechanism plays a vital role in preventing neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease.
Despite the clarity in understanding human sleep, the question of whether birds undergo similar processes during sleep has been a mystery. However, new research led by Professor Onur Güntürkün, head of the Biopsychology Department at Ruhr University Bochum, has recently uncovered fascinating insights into avian sleep patterns.
Do birds dream of flying? Scientists say they now know the answer

Spike in Sightings Reported Amid 'Really Nasty Snake Year'

For many people, the return of warm weather is something to look forward to each year as we begin to spruce up our yards, reopen the pool, and prepare to spend more time in nature. But along with green foliage and longer days, the spike in temperature also coincides with the return of venomous snake season. Like any natural cycle, each round can bring different conditions—and now some experts are reporting a spike in sightings amid what they're calling a "really nasty snake year." Read on to see how you can avoid them and stay safe.

Spike in Sightings Reported Amid 'Really Nasty Snake Year'—How to Avoid Them

Seeing Dead Flies Makes Other Flies Die Faster, But Why?

There might be a weird benefit to leaving dead flies where they fall on your windowsill.
Research has shown that when fruit flies of the species Drosophila melanogaster are exposed to the carcasses of their dead friends, their lifespan shrinks in a significant and measurable way.
They start acting withdrawn, lose body fat, and their aging accelerates to the point that they die sooner than fruit flies that don't see their dead buddies just lying where they fall like some macabre fruit fly graveyard.
And now scientists have a better idea about why this happens. Two neuron types receptive to the neurotransmitter serotonin become activated when fruit flies perceive dead comrades, and this increased activity accelerates the flies' aging process.
"Understanding the neural circuits through which death perception impacts these phenotypes may inform future work directed toward understanding the consequences associated with this, and perhaps other sensory experiences in individuals, including humans, and may provide insight into how specific neural states impact behavior and physiology," write a team of researchers led by physiologists Christi Gendron and Tuhin Chakraborty of the University of Michigan.
Seeing Dead Flies Makes Other Flies Die Faster, But Why?

Meet the Sheepshead — The Fish with Human Teeth

No, it’s not Photoshop; this fish has human-like teeth. Meet the sheepshead fish — Archosargus probatocephalus. While this fish made quite a stir in 2021 after an angler posted an image of the fish on social media, the sheepshead has been well-known for centuries. There is even a neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY, named after the fish. 
While plenty of fish have teeth, there are not many fish with human teeth. Here is more information on our toothy twin. 
Meet the Sheepshead — The Fish with Human Teeth

Scientists were 'shocked' to discover that juvenile white sharks regularly venture near swimmers and surfers but don't attack

Great white sharks top many lists as "the most dangerous sharks" to humans. That's because they hold the record for the highest number of unprovoked shark attacks on humans.
However, a new study published in the journal PLOS ONE earlier this month from researchers at California State University Long Beach Shark Lab reveals a different side of juvenile great whites.
Using drones, the researchers surveyed the activity of sharks for a span of just over two years in the waters of 26 beaches in southern California.
Scientists were 'shocked' to discover that juvenile white sharks regularly venture near swimmers and surfers but don't attack

Ancient Dolphin Discovered With Teeth Spikes

A new species of ancient dolphin has been discovered and it boasts "unique" tusk-like teeth that indicate the existence of a feeding strategy in marine mammals that was previously unknown to science, researchers said.
The scientists have named the newly identified species Nihohae matakoi (pronounced: nee-ho-ha-eh ma-ta-koy), according to a study describing the specimen in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Ancient Dolphin Discovered With Teeth Spikes 'Unlike Any Seen Today'

Giant Ancient Lizard Covered in Thick Armor and Spikes Found

A giant ancient lizard covered in thick armor and spikes has been discovered by scientists in Australia.
The turtle-like creature is "one of the most bizarre lizards found in recent times," said the authors of a study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
The now-extinct species, which forms part of the skink family, lived in the Pleistocene, the geological epoch that lasted from around 2.58 million to 11,700 years ago.
Giant Ancient Lizard Covered in Thick Armor and Spikes Found: 'Bizarre'

Animal Pictures