The world record for the widest female tongue has just been broken for the first time in 10 years. No need to adjust your display settings – you read that just right.The proud owner of the gargantuan glossa is Texan Brittany Lacayo. Her tongue measures 7.9 centimeters (3.11 inches) at its widest point. That’s about the width of a credit card. The total length of her tongue is only 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) more than that, making it almost a square – there's a fun fact for you!  IFLScience is not responsible for content shared from external sites.Guinness World Records confirmed that attorney Lacayo’s tongue has surpassed the previous record of 7.33 centimeters (2.89 inches), which had been held by fellow American Emily Schlenker for 10 years. Schlenker’s father Byron also held the corresponding male record for a short time, before he was gazumped by Brian Thompson, whose tongue width was measured at an as-yet unbeaten 8.88 centimeters (3.49 inches).It was a video of Schlenker that inspired Lacayo to measure her own tongue to see how it matched up. Her family had often joked about the size of it when she was a kid, but she’d never seriously considered it might be record-breaking.“It is neat and kind of funny,” she said, adding that most people react with either “shock” or “curiosity” when they see her tongue for the first time… which is pretty much how we felt when we saw the pictures.The world records for the longest tongues have also gone unchallenged for some years. The female record was achieved by Chanel Tapper in 2010, an astonishing 9.75 centimeters (3.8 inches). Meanwhile, the male record stands at 10.1 centimeters (3.97 inches), set by Nick Stoeberl in 2012.But if you think those are impressive, they pale into insignificance when compared with certain members of the animal kingdom. The giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) holds the record for longest tongue among land mammals, with reports of them extending as far as 61 centimeters (2 feet).And if you’re wondering whether your licker might be a record-breaker, it might be time to ask yourself: How well do you know your tongue?        

A “giant mercury bomb” is ticking in the Arctic. As the world warms with climate change, mercury that’s been stored in the permafrost for thousands of years threatens to be set free into the environment, potentially wreaking havoc on wildlife and human life. In a new study, scientists measured how much mercury could potentially seep into the ecosystem from thawed permafrost around the Yukon River. To find out, they headed to two northern villages in Alaska’s Yukon River Basin – Beaver and Huslia – and took core samples from the top 3 meters (9.8 feet) of permafrost. They paired this with satellite data that shows how the Yukon River is changing course.They found that significant amounts of mercury are released when riverbanks erode, but a smaller and more variable amount is redeposited as the rivers shift.In conclusion, they found the mercury from the permafrost could pose an environmental and health threat to the 5 million people living in the Arctic zone.“There could be this giant mercury bomb in the Arctic waiting to explode,” Josh West, study co-author and professor of Earth sciences and environmental studies at the University of Southern California - Dornsife, said in a statement. Mercury is a metal that’s a liquid at room temperature, owing to its very low melting point. The element is highly toxic, acting as a neurotoxin by binding to and inhibiting the function of enzymes and proteins critical for nerve cell function.It isn’t just found in science classrooms and thermometers. The metallic element circulates in small amounts through the natural world because it’s absorbed by plants, which then die and become part of the soil. It’s especially prolific in the Arctic, where the soil becomes frozen into permafrost, locking it away for generations. “Because of the way it behaves chemically, a lot of mercury pollution ends up in the Arctic. Permafrost has accumulated so much mercury that it could dwarf the amount in the oceans, soils, atmosphere and biosphere combined,” said West.It’s also a worrying problem for the northernmost parts of our planet because this region is warming up to four times faster than the global average and already feeling the sting of climate change,The threat of mercury increases as the metal accumulates in the food chain, from plants to small creatures, eventually ending up in the fish and other animals that humans eat. Since bioaccumulation is the problem, West explains that it’s not a problem similar to the Flint water crisis in Michigan. Nevertheless, the impact of mercury could be profound on communities living along the Yukon River and elsewhere in the Arctic.“Decades of exposure, especially with increasing levels as more mercury is released, could take a huge toll on the environment and the health of those living in these areas,” Smith said.The new study is published in the journal Environmental Research Letters. 

In a study that could redefine our understanding of extraterrestrial life, researchers have explored the possibility that plasmas in Earth’s upper atmosphere might represent a form of life or pre-life conditions. The research, published on ResearchGate, delves into the behavior of plasma-like entities observed in the thermosphere, suggesting these could be more than just physical phenomena but potentially biological or pre-biological entities. The study, titled “Extraterrestrial Life: Plasmas, UAP, Shape Shifters, Replicons, Thunderstorms, Unidentified Ocean Phenomenon,” compiles observations from various sources, including NASA’s space shuttle missions. A plasma materializes above and descends into the storm and the lower atmosphere. (Bottom): Note void/nuclei (top second row). Filmed by STS 80 These missions captured images of what appear to be self-illuminating, pulsating entities, often referred to as “plasmoids,” exhibiting behaviors akin to living organisms. These entities have been observed changing shape, velocity, and even interacting with each other in ways that suggest a form of communication or predation. One of the most intriguing aspects of this research is the hypothesis that these plasmas might incorporate “RNA-world” scenarios, where the plasma could host pre-life conditions with the potential for self-replication. This theory is supported by the presence of amino acids, nucleotides, and other organic compounds in space, which could be integrated into these plasma structures, leading to complex behaviors observed. The study also touches on the phenomenon of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs), often linked with extraterrestrial life in public discourse. While the research doesn’t confirm the extraterrestrial origin of these plasmas, it opens up the discussion on how life might exist in forms vastly different from what we traditionally recognize. The plasmas’ ability to shape-shift and their presence in extreme environments like thunderstorms and the thermosphere challenge our conventional biological models. Further, the research hints at these entities possibly being part of a “fourth domain of life,” distinct from the known categories of bacteria, archaea, and eukarya. This domain could encompass life forms that thrive in plasma states, potentially existing in the vastness of space or within planetary atmospheres. If plasmas in our atmosphere or space could be considered a form of life or pre-life, it would expand the search for extraterrestrial life beyond looking for water-based life forms to include plasma-based entities. This could revolutionize astrobiology, prompting new methods of detection and study in space exploration. However, the study also calls for skepticism and further research. The phenomena described require more empirical data to solidify these groundbreaking claims. The scientific community is now faced with the challenge of developing new experimental frameworks to either confirm or refute these observations, potentially rewriting the book on what constitutes life in the universe. The post New Research Suggests Plasma Entities Might Be Extraterrestrial Life appeared first on Anomalien.com.

On Thursday, Comedy Central’s Desi Lydic welcomed New York Magazine writer-at-large Rebecca Traister and Rutgers Prof. Brittney Cooper to The Daily Show to gush over Kamala Harris and breathe a sigh of relief that she, and not Republican Nikki Haley, may be the first female president. Lydic began, “There’s been a real vibe shift here with Kamala Harris entering the race. She would be the first female president. She'd be the first black female president. She would be the first South Asian person to be president. This is obviously something to be celebrated and incredibly meaningful for so many reasons.” She’s not lying about the vibe shift. Before, Lydic was mocking Harris’s meandering thoughts, but now that she’s at the top of the ticket, it’s all praise, all the time. Still, Lydic did seem to be aware that not everyone is as obsessed with Harris’s identity as she is, “But at the same time, how should we be talking about this? How much should the campaign be leaning into this, and how much might it undermine how qualified she is as just being the right person for the job right now?”     Traister, too, tried to have it both ways, “I think it is a really tricky balance. Because on the one hand, you don't want to fixate on these firsts and the pure identity changes and representative changes because there has to be substance along with that too, right? We could be talking about Nikki Haley and have some of the same firsts and we'd be feeling very differently about that.” Amid crosstalk and laughter, Traister made clear she meant liberal substance, “So, I want to say that just talking about the representative firsts isn't enough. And yet, we cannot behave in this country as though we are a nation that has ever previously managed to elect a woman in 250 years, right?” She added, “So, we can't trick ourselves either into thinking that there is not a lot happening in this campaign and on these stages, that we do not have models for, that we need to turn to different degrees of faith. That we need to sit in our anxiety about whether we as a country can become better, right? And become different and do things differently and imagine so it would be silly to pretend that those things don't come into it, and I think deeply dishonest about who we are as a country. And about the possibility of who we could become as a country.” Later in the interview, Traister continued with the effusive Harris praise, “I want to pick up on that joyful thing. What is being projected by Kamala Harris and Tim Walz on those stages is unfettered joy. The beauty of being able—the happiness of being able to envision a future that looks different from our past.” Lydic then turned to Cooper, “There are 80 more days to go until the election. What is the proper, healthy way to channel all of these feelings of anger and rage and uncertainty and positivity and joy?” Cooper replied that the country could learn something from Harris, “what it means to be a black person in this country is that we have to fight every day for new possibilities for ourselves and I think that's the lesson that America can take from having a black woman run for the presidency. That is what black people have taught this country, is that, if we want it, we have to fight for it. And so, let's go! That's where I am. Let's [bleep] go!” Apparently, The Daily Show thinks female minorities with R’s next to their name don’t know about fighting and determination. Here is a transcript for the August 15 show: Comedy Central The Daily Show 8/15/2024 11:24 PM ET DESI LYDIC: I am so excited to have you both on in this moment in particular. There’s been a real vibe shift here with Kamala Harris entering the race. She would be the first female president. She'd be the first black female president. She would be the first South Asian person to be president. This is obviously something to be celebrated and incredibly meaningful for so many reasons. But at the same time, how should we be talking about this? How much should the campaign be leaning into this, and how much might it undermine how qualified she is as just being the right person for the job right now? REBECCA TRAISTER: I think it is a really tricky balance. Because on the one hand, you don't want to fixate on these firsts and the pure identity changes and representative changes because there has to be substance along with that too, right? We could be talking about Nikki Haley and have some of the same firsts and we'd be feeling very differently about that.  [Laughter and Crosstalk] So, I want to say that just talking about the representative firsts isn't enough. And yet, we cannot behave in this country as though we are a nation that has ever previously managed to elect a woman in 250 years, right?  So, we can't trick ourselves either into thinking that there is not a lot happening in this campaign and on these stages, that we do not have models for, that we need to turn to different degrees of faith. That we need to sit in our anxiety about whether we as a country can become better, right? And become different and do things differently and imagine so it would be silly to pretend that those things don't come into it, and I think deeply dishonest about who we are as a country. And about the possibility of who we could become as a country. ... TRAISTER: I want to pick up on that joyful thing. What is being projected by Kamala Harris and Tim Walz on those stages is unfettered joy. The beauty of being able — the happiness of being able to envision a future that looks different from our past.  LYDIC: That's right. That’s right. There are 80 more days to go until the election. What is the proper, healthy way to channel all of these feelings of anger and rage and uncertainty and positivity and joy? BRITTNEY COOPER: Here's the thing. I believe in faith and hope because I come from working-class black people in the Deep South who didn't grow up with a lot of possibility, who didn't have a lot of possibility, but who kept getting up every day and trying again and so, it is always the height of a certain kind of access and privilege when I see people assuming that we get the benefit and the indulgence of our cynicism, the indulgence of our disaffection.  All — what it means to be a black person in this country is that we have to fight every day for new possibilities for ourselves and I think that's the lesson that America can take from having a black woman run for the presidency. That is what black people have taught this country, is that, if we want it, we have to fight for it. And so, let's go! That's where I am. Let's [bleep] go! 

Many Christians see the definition of pro-life as defending the lives of the unborn. However, over time, the meaning of the term has shifted — and it’s made its way into the church. “They’ve been very propagandized into believing that any restriction on abortion, the overturning of Roe v. Wade, all that stuff, they will not say that restrictions are good,” Allie Beth Stuckey of “Relatable” tells the founder of the 1916 Project, Seth Gruber. “They’ll say, ‘Well, I’m holistically pro-life,' or 'I’m womb to tomb pro-life,’ which really just means that they’re for like liberal immigration law, they’re against the death penalty, but they’re for abortion,” Stuckey adds. “The redefinition of pro-life has been a war that’s been waging for probably over a decade now,” Gruber agrees. “It’s been progressives who call themselves Christians and act full-blown, anti-God, atheist, materialist progressives who have seeked to influence people like David Platt, Matt Chandler, Russell Moore, Lecrae, Jackie Hill Perry, T.D. Jakes — shall I continue?” These progressives have been able to influence people through the twisting the word of God, which has manifested in ways other than abortion. “You got to take the jab, because you know, you don’t want people to die, love your neighbor,” Gruber mocks, adding that “what they’ve done is they’ve defined pro-life from the protection of life in the womb to the allegedly quality of life outside the womb.” This, Gruber says, has been pushed by Russell Moore, who used to be at the ERLC. The ERLC is the political arm of the largest Protestant denomination in the country. He’s now the editor in chief of Christianity Today. “A lot of these people,” Gruber explains, “have done a lot to influence believers to accept this new redefinition of pro-life. And so, he who fights everywhere fights nowhere. So if now to be pro-life means that I’ve got to do all this other stuff that allegedly improves quality of life outside the womb, then how the heck am I supposed to ever end the killing of babies in the womb?” “It’s very important for us to be clear and push back on what pro-life actually means, and so I have lost a lot of friends and I’ve watched a lot of people capitulate over the last few years because they’ve accepted this new redefinition,” he adds. Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

From Final Fantasy 14 to No Man’s Sky, we’ve seen plenty of dramatic comebacks over the years. In a year populated with big survival games including Palworld, Once Human, Soulmask, and Enshrouded - not forgetting regular updates for the likes of Rust, Valheim, and Ark - Nightingale struggled to maintain its initial player spike. But there's always the chance for a dramatic resurgence. In a new developer update, Inflexion Games showcases its completely rebuilt Realms system and lifts the lid on a reimagined, more structured story campaign. Continue reading The Nightingale Realms Rebuilt update completely remakes its campaign MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games on PC, Best crafting games on PC, Best fantasy games on PC

RRREEEEEEE! CNN Panel Goes Stark Raving Insane on Nancy Mace Over Kamala's Name (Watch)

Ahead of Gamescom, among a sea of rumors, the latest rumor suggests that the Xbox console exclusive Forza Horizon 5 will be heading to the PlayStation 5.

Image: Alex Parkin / The Verge At Google’s gadget launch this week, it took almost half an hour before Google actually talked about its new gadgets. There’s a lot to be excited about inside the new Pixel 9 lineup and the Pixel Watch 3, but Google’s event made its true priorities clear. AI matters more to Google than Pixel, more than Android, more than just about anything. On this episode of The Vergecast, we talk about all of Google’s AI announcements, and what they might mean for how you use your devices going forward. Is this a paradigm shift? Since so much of Google’s focus is on the Pixel’s camera, we also talk about the ongoing “what is a photo” apocalypse, and whether what we’re capturing is even photos anymore. After that, Nilay tells us about his adventures... Continue reading…

Lake Bolsena, a volcanic lake in central Italy, has yielded a 3,000-year-old clay figurine, believed to represent an ancient goddess. This figurine was discovered at the Gran Carro archaeological site, thought to be the submerged remains of an Iron Age village dating back to the 10th or 9th century BC. Remarkably, after 3000 years of submersion, the figure still bears the fingerprints of its maker. A Rare Glimpse into Early Iron Age Rituals The discovery was made by the personnel of the Underwater Archaeology Service, followed by the recovery and initial conservation treatment carried out by the underwater restorers of CSR Restauro Beni Culturali, reports LBV. The figurine measures approximately 6 inches (15 centimeters) in length, and is crudely finished, almost like it is a work in progress. The fingerprints offer a tangible connection to the ancient sculptor of the past. The impression of a fabric pattern on the figurine suggests that it was originally clothed, possibly as part of a domestic ritual. Archaeologists believe the figurine was used in votive practices, where prayers or offerings were directed to the figurine, indicating its role in the spiritual life of the Iron Age inhabitants, explains Live Science. Read moreSection: ArtifactsOther ArtifactsNewsHistory & ArchaeologyRead Later