ScientiFix, our weekly feature, will offer you a summary of the top global science stories of the week, with links to the best sources to read them. It’s your fix to stay on top of the latest in science.
2 cyclones making simultaneous landfall is unheard of, says IMD
As Titli continues to wreak havoc through its after-effects, Luban has caused floods last week in Oman and Yemen. Both Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea are home to cyclones, the former more than thrice as much as the latter. But two cyclones on either side of India making simultaneous landfall in the same week is almost unheard of, says IMD. Down2Earth has more on this.
Oldest fossils are not really fossils, just rocks
Back in 2016, we discovered what was then touted to be the oldest fossils on earth, dating back to 3.7 billion years ago. It was considered that these rocks that were found in Greenland were stromatolites, fossils of cyanobacteria that famously oxygenated the earth by first using sunlight and releasing oxygen. However, a new study which is a re-evaluation of the techniques used and the results drawn shows that these fossils were simply rocks showing signs of past tectonic activity. More on this on Nat Geo.
Breakthrough Prize winners for 2019 announced
The coveted Breakthrough Prize, which recognises contributions to the fields of life science, fundamental physics, and mathematics, has been awarded to eight individuals. The award will be presented on 3 November. Read more about their work here.
Translator of Asterix comics Anthea Bell dies at 82
Translator Anthea Bell is widely credited as having brought the highly popular Asterix comics to an English readership from its original French. She is well known for her wit and translation of puns. She has also translated other numerous works like Kafka, Freud, and Sebald, but will be always fondly remembered for her work on Asterix. The Guardian has an obituary.
Video: Angry mongoose fights off lions
An old video from 2011 is suddenly doing the rounds on Twitter again, drawing amazed and hilarious reactions. Shot by wildlife photographer Jérôme Guillaumot in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve, it shows an unnaturally angry mongoose scaring off and chasing four lions who seem confused about how to react. We don’t know the full story of why it happened, but it’s likely that the mongoose was being protective of pups it might have had. Plus the lions were young. Nat Geo has the perplexing video.