Putting a face and names to lost Arctic sailors
Scientists have confirmed the identities of four men who died in Sir John Franklin’s disastrous expedition of 1845, a British mission to chart a passage through the Arctic that ended in disaster, starvation, and cannibalism. The scientists used DNA extracted from skeletal remains to identify the sailors: William Orren (able seaman), David Young (ship’s boy), John Bridgens (officers’ steward), and Harry Peglar (captain of the foretop).
Scenes from an Arctic seafloor
A team led by Evgeny A. Podolskiy, from Hokkaido University, captured rare footage and recordings of a highly turbulent environment on the seafloor of a glacial fjord in northwest Greenland. The recordings reveal the songs of narwhals reverberating along the seafloor, crustaceans called copepods moving in sudden hops, and marine snow falling in blizzard-like bursts.
The flavorful fillings of ice giants
A study by Vanesa Ramirez et al., from Leiden University, analyzed the possible evolution and composition of Uranus and Neptune’s interiors based on observations of their atmospheres. The results suggest that the deep interiors of these planets exhibit distinct compositions: Neptune has relatively rock-rich mantles, while Uranus is inferred to have more ice-rich mantles.
Mob Wives, but it’s science
In a study by Maurizio Catino et al., from the University of Milano-Bicocca, researchers analyzed 623 clans within the notorious Ndrangheta mafia syndicate. They found that interfamily marriages among less influential families were the real “load-bearing” relationships in the network, while boss families tended to be associated with redundant, overlapping unions.
Key Takeaways
- Scientists confirmed the identities of four sailors who died during Sir John Franklin’s 1845 expedition using DNA analysis.
- Captain Harry Peglar was identified from a faraway location on the seafloor, marking the first identification of a Terror crew member.
- The study on ice giants reveals distinct compositions between Neptune and Uranus, with Neptune having relatively rock-rich mantles while Uranus has more ice-rich ones.
- Marriages within the Ndrangheta mafia syndicate play a crucial role in maintaining group cohesion, particularly among less influential families who form “load-bearing” relationships.
Originally published at 404media.co. Curated by AI Maestro.
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