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Astronomers have clocked a cosmic collision at 3.2 million km/h (2 million mph). A new instrument has spotted a galaxy crashing through a group of others at incredible speeds, creating a shock wave that’s changing the region completely. · Stephan’s Quintet is a structure made up of five galaxies in close proximity to each other in the sky, which was first discovered by French astronomer Édouard Stephan in 1877. But it’s not quite as peaceful as…

Most people who want to get from Vientiane to Vang Vieng take the bus. The small, secluded town is a two-hour ride from Laos’s capital and surrounded by picturesque green mountains and the slow-flowing Nam Song river. · The views are breathtaking and, years ago, before Vang Vieng became a mainstay of the so-called Banana Pancake Trail, a popular backpacking route spanning Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, people stopped here to swim in the…

If you were born somewhere between November 30 and December 18, chances are the sun was in the constellation Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer. Therefore, your “sign” should be Ophiuchus. But, of course, Ophiuchus is not an official constellation of the zodiac, nor will you find it in horoscopes. Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer is a large constellation that you can spot near the southern horizon from the Northern Hemisphere during July, August and…

Will this Democratic defeat trigger another batch of wilderness years for the party? And if so, how long will this period last? · The recently concluded presidential election is not without its historical parallels and ironies, both of which speak to the country’s immediate future, as well as to the future of the Democratic Party. At the same time, both return us to the only Democrats elected to the presidency between the Civil War and the…

Binge drinking in early adult years fundamentally changes how the brain's neurons communicate, in what scientists equate to a faulty gas pedal in a car that needs more pressure applied to "go." What's more, it remains unchanged for decades, raising the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease later in life. While there's not much we can do about the past, it may help earlier intervention and treatment to target this area of the brain. · The…

The body has a remarkable ability to heal itself when injured, but of course it has its limits. Now scientists at the University of Nottingham have developed a way to improve on the natural process, making implants created from a patient’s own blood to regenerate injuries, even repairing bone. · Bodily tissues can heal small cuts or fractures pretty efficiently. It starts with blood forming a solid structure called a regenerative hematoma (RH),…

Progressivism began as a movement for workers’ rights and social reforms but today’s progressivism is often linked to “woke” or identity-based politics. · Critics say it’s more about branding, pushing ideology and high taxes over practical solutions. · In New Zealand, progressivism creates tension within the Labour and Green parties as they try to balance mainstream appeal with progressive values. · The shifting definition of progressivism ·…

We’ve long been told that “you are what you eat”, but only in recent years has research revealed that the gut – and its health – is key to almost every aspect of our wellbeing, from mental clarity to mood, and from the appearance of your skin to your energy levels and sleep quality. Even more compellingly, poor gut health may also contribute to chronic disease, such as cardiovascular issues, diabetes and even cancer. · The latest research…

In investigative journalist Ian Wishart’s 2012 book The Great Divide, the chapter “The Tino Rangatiratanga Question” hones in on the interpretation of terms central to the Treaty of Waitangi like tino rangatiratanga and taonga. · He argues that linguistic and historical evidence suggests Māori signatories understood they were ceding sovereignty to the Crown, countering the contemporary view that they only gave up limited governorship. ·…

It's ironic that TV1, RNZ, and similar media outlets so strongly support the current hikoi process, opposing David Seymour’s call for a discussion of the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi – so much for the impartial and investigative press. These mainstream media organizations face severe economic challenges: TV1 lost $85 million NZD in 2023, and RNZ lost $1.4 million NZD(1, 2). Meanwhile, the Māori groups they champion are thriving, though…