Most assume writing systems get simpler. But 3,600 years of Chinese writing show it’s getting increasingly complex

The extraordinary Chinese writing system has over 4,000 core complex characters – and they’ve been getting more complex over time.
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How the Puritans once banned Christmas in Massachusetts

You have likely heard the story of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" — but what about the one where the Puritans in Massachusetts banned the holiday altogether?
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Flexibility is key to building a carbon neutral power system

To manage future electricity demand in line with the EU's Energy Roadmap 2050, power grids need to rely on both supply and demand flexibility and be structured as a system of systems.
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Clear Is a Pox on America’s Airports

Happy holidays to everyone but the company for skipping the security line.
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Five ways TikTok is seen as threat to US national security

Many in the United States see TikTok, the highly popular video-sharing app owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, as a threat to national security.
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Bushwalkers accidentally discover Australia's first known bioluminescent millipedes

Scott Kemp first saw glow-in-the-dark millipedes in the Illawarra 18 years ago, but he had no idea he was making a significant scientific discovery.
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Japanese McDonald’s Restrooms Have Phone Cleaning Devices Built Into Their Sinks

We wash our hands in public restrooms, so why not clean our phones? This is such a smart idea!
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When Argentina Used World Cup Soccer to Whitewash Its Dirty War

'We should not play soccer amid the concentration camps and torture chambers,' wrote proponents of an international tournament boycott that year.
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Why heiress Marlene Engelhorn wants most of her fortune to be taxed away

What would you do if you inherited millions of dollars? Would you reimburse your debts? Go on a travelling spree? Or lobby your government to take it away from you in the name of tax justice? Austrian heiress #MarleneEngelhorn was left with millions of euros from her family #business. But as co-founder of the organisation Tax Me Now, she wants the government to take around 90 percent of her wealth through a more equitable taxation system.
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Australia’s mountain mist frog declared extinct as red list reveals scale of biodiversity crisis

Experts describe it as a ‘beautiful endemic rainforest species’, one of several that have not been seen for decades
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Where Has All the Mustard Gone?

For months, mustard has been tough to find on grocery store shelves in Europe. It's a combination of geopolitical instability and wild temperatures.
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11,000-Year-Old Carving of Man Holding His Penis, Surrounded by Leopards, Is Oldest-Known Depiction of a Narrative Scene

The Neolithic panel indicates a shift from hunting-and-gathering to an agrarian farming society among the Turkish region.
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DNA from elusive human relatives the Denisovans has left a curious mark on modern people in New Guinea

Humanity carries traces of other populations in our DNA – and a new study shows how one of these ancestors has influenced the immune systems of modern Papuans.
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Ancient human relative used fire, surprising discoveries suggest

Charcoal and burned bones offer intriguing — if controversial — clues that the species Homo naledi made hearths to light its way and cook in dark caves.
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Japanese hanko: What's in a name (stamp)?

The intricately carved hanko has been long associated with authenticity in Japan, but as ready-made alternatives and digital versions emerge, is it still relevant?
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Texas Bookstores Are Writing Their Own Stories

Indie bookshops across the state are embracing change, to thrive and stay alive. But a lot depends on the upcoming holiday season.
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Footprints Claimed as Evidence of Ice Age Humans in North America Need Better Dating, New Research Shows

Recent research claimed that preserved footprints were from the last ice age. Now, a new study disputes the evidence of such an early age.
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Why most men don't have enough close friends

Friendships aren't just about those you sit with on the school bus or play alongside on your childhood baseball team — they are a core component of the human experience, experts say. But making and retaining deep, meaningful friendships as an adult is hard, especially for men, according to research.
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