There’s all sorts of interesting scientific news today, including several stories from recent Science Daily newsletters.
First up: there is further supporting evidence that the Toba volcano, which I have written about before, indeed caused far-flung devastation when it blew a gigantic hole in the island of Sumatra 73,000 years ago. The explosion is believed to have brought our species very close indeed to the edge of extinction. Learn more here.
Second: I’m sure most of you have never thought about just what most people mean when they use the word “most”. (I can assure you, at least, that I never have.) But Prof. Mira Ariel of Tel Aviv University’s Department of Linguistics has apparently been thinking about it very hard indeed, and it turns out that it means 80 to 95 percent. For now, at least. Story here.
Third, it appears that the Milky Way, the charming spiral galaxy we call home, is crashing another galaxy even as you read this. You probably hadn’t noticed, because the other galaxy, it turns out, is invisible. Here.
There’s much, much more — these are interesting times! — but that’s enough for now.