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Did you know that Koalas have fingerprints almost identical to humans?

Koalas have fingerprints so similar to humans that they can be mistaken for human prints, even under a microscope. This resemblance is a rare trait among different species.

Space

7 Stars Could be Hosting Alien Civilization

Astrophysicists have recently explored a classic sci-fi idea, identifying seven stars that might host alien civilizations.

These stars emit infrared radiation in a way that defies natural explanations, possibly hinting at "Dyson spheres," theoretical structures proposed by physicist Freeman Dyson in the 1960s to harness a star's energy.

Originally inspired by Olaf Stapledon’s 1937 novel Star Maker, Dyson's concept led to a serious scientific search for alien life. He suggested that an advanced civilization's waste heat could be detected as infrared radiation.

A team from Sweden, Penn State, and the Indian Institute of Technology analyzed historical telescope data, focusing on stars within 1,000 light years of Earth. Their project, ‘Project Hephaistos,’ narrowed 5 million candidates to seven red dwarfs with unusual infrared emissions. While these could be Dyson spheres, they might also be young stars with protoplanetary disks or distant galaxies.

The researchers advocate using more advanced telescopes for further investigation. Although building a Dyson sphere is far beyond current human capabilities, the idea is gaining traction as technology advances. Lead author Matías Suazo notes that such a structure would require dismantling a planet like Jupiter for raw materials.

Culture

YouTuber Saves Senior Great Pyrenees on Cross-Canada Canoe Trip

A Kiwi kayaker on a cross-country trip in Canada made a brief detour to rescue a man's dog trapped under a log.

Ivy, a 14-year-old Great Pyrenees, was stuck in heavy mud in Manitoba after straying too far from her owner’s property. Weak from exhaustion, she could barely keep her head above water. Tom Hudson, an unlikely hero from New Zealand, was in Manitoba when he heard faint barking on July 29th and decided to investigate.

Check this out!

World News

Pot of Gold Found!

During excavations in Notion, an ancient city-state in modern-day Turkey, the foundations of a house from the Achaemenid Persian Empire were uncovered beneath another house from the Hellenistic Period, about 180 years later. A pot of coins were found buried in a corner of the older building. “We weren’t actually looking for a pot of gold,” said Dr. Christopher Ratté, the lead archaeologist on the project.

The coins, known as darics, are named either after Emperor Darius I or the Persian word for gold. They date back to the 5th century BCE, a period marked by conflicts among Greek city-states and between Greece and Persia. Mercenaries played a crucial role in these battles, and it’s believed the coins were buried with the intention of being retrieved later, likely representing savings—each daric was about a month's pay. However, they were never recovered, hinting at a grim fate.

The discovery of the coins is significant, according to Andrew Meadows, an archaeologist at the University of Oxford, as it helps refine the timeline of Achaemenid gold coinage. Coins like these are valuable for dating historical events and understanding the symbols important to ancient rulers.

The gold darics depict Darius I, the third Persian emperor, kneeling with a bow and spear. These coins are rare today because Alexander the Great ordered them to be melted down and re-stamped with his image after conquering the Achaemenid Empire.

Mind Stretchers 

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 I can be seen in water, but I never get wet. What am I?

The answer to yesterday’s Mind Stretcher was:
I am a number, but when you add ‘G’ to me, I go away. What number am I? - “one” + G = GONE 🙂 

Gerry Moore got the answer first!

Be the first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to [email protected] or reply to this email.

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured.