Frigid

Quirks and Quarks17:37Understanding when (earlier), and how (cleverly), stone-age people lived in EuropeSeveral recent discoveries unveiled this week are shedding light on the lives of ancient humans, and their inventiveness and resilience as they initially spread around the world.First, three papers published in the journal Nature describe the discovery of human bones at a cave near Ranis, in northern Germany. Detailed analysis of the bones and sediments from the cave suggest the humans were there 45,000 years ago,…

Tesla vehicles charge sit at a charging station, Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, in Ann Arbor, Mich. A subzero cold snap across the nation has exposed a big vulnerability for electric vehicle owners. It's difficult to charge the batteries in single-digit temperatures. Experts say it's simple chemistry, that the electrons move slowly and don't take in or release as much energy.Credit: AP Photo/Carlos Osorio For nearly a week,…

Plummeting to ocean depths of 800 meters or more, scalloped hammerhead sharks forage and feast on delicacies such as deep-sea squid. These frigid waters—as chilly as 5°C—should be perilous for the cold-blooded sharks that dwell in the tropics. Yet, the predators swoop down multiple times a night, raiding their ocean-floor fridge for snacks without issue. The trick may be holding their breath, researchers report today in Science. Scalloped hammerhead sharks…

Wildlife experts say hummingbirds in B.C. may need some assistance getting food, staying warm, and tending to their nests amid recent snowfalls and cold temperatures. Anna's hummingbirds, which remain in B.C. throughout the year, survive on a diet of insects and plants. When these resources become scarce in the winter, many of them rely on hummingbird feeders. But feeders can freeze over when temperatures drop below zero. "When we get these sudden intensely cold temperatures and snowfalls, they definitely have a much…

After an epic January of rains, California’s winter has turned decidedly chilly.The state has experienced record-low temperatures from Eureka down to San Diego County, with wind chill dropping into the single digits in some Southern California mountain towns and freeze warnings spanning the Northern California coastline. The cold conditions have kept Southern California’s mountain peaks topped with thick, bright layers of snow even without significant precipitation in several weeks.Officials hope the low temperatures are…

Hello, it’s Friday, Feb. 17, and here are the stories you shouldn’t miss today:TOP STORIES This frigid February could help the West prepare for summerThis week Californians felt record-low temperatures from Eureka down to San Diego County, with windchills dropping into the single digits in some Southern California mountain towns and freeze warnings spanning the Northern California coastline.Heck, it even snowed in Las Vegas.While the cold fronts have been ideal for hitting the slopes, weather experts are hopeful the low…

Frigid temperatures are expected to sting two-thirds of the continental US this week as a powerful storm system races eastward. The timing couldn’t be worse, hitting right before the holidays, when many Americans are planning to travel. Those journeys — and even just being outside in some of the hardest-hit regions — may become treacherous as brutal cold blankets the country.“What better way to kick off the official start of astronomical winter than with numerous winter weather hazards impacting a majority of the Nation,”…

An engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory observes the COLDArm being tested in a bed of simulated lunar soil.Image: NASA/JPL-CaltechIt can get cold on the Moon—so cold in fact that these temperatures are likely to impede the abilities of some current NASA engineering. As a result, the space agency is testing out a new mechanical arm that is designed to withstand the frosty temperatures on the Moon ahead of the ongoing Artemis missions.The 6.5-foot-long (2-meter-long) robot arm is being developed and tested at NASA’s…