Margherita Bassi, Author at Gizmodo

Christianity May Have Brought Face Tattoos to Medieval Nubia

Researchers traced tattoos across hundreds of human remains from northeastern Africa.

Human History Margherita Bassi

New Clue Emerges From Botched Scandinavian Raid: A 2,300-Year-Old Fingerprint

In the fourth century BCE, mysterious raiders attacked a Danish island. Now we might finally know where they came from.

Human History Margherita Bassi

This Star Is Being Eaten Alive—and Its Explosive Death Will Be Visible in Broad Daylight

Researchers have figured out why V Sagittae is so gosh dang bright.

Space & Spaceflight Margherita Bassi

Sperm Donor With a Cancer-Causing Gene Fathered at Least 197 Kids

Because only part of the man's sperm carried the mutation, only the second round of genetic testing revealed the problem. By then, it was already too late.

Health Margherita Bassi

This 400,000-Year-Old Campfire Could Rewrite Human History

Humans likely harvested their first flames from wildfire. When they learned to make it themselves, it changed everything.

Human History Margherita Bassi

Garlic Mouth Wash? The Science Says Yes

Researchers reviewed existing evidence on whether mouthwash with garlic extract could be a viable alternative for the current golden standard.

Health Margherita Bassi

Ancient Construction Site at Pompeii Sheds Light on Rome’s Miraculous Self-Healing Cement

How often do you think of ancient Roman cement?

Human History Margherita Bassi

Even Minor Video Call Glitches Could Cost You a Job—or Your Freedom

Researchers found that minor connection issues during face-to-face video calls negatively impacted interpersonal judgments, with significant implications in contexts such as telehealth visits, remote interviews, and virtual parole hearings.

Internet Margherita Bassi

Scientists Are Trying to Fix the Worst Sound in the World: the Dentist’s Drill

While investigating the dentist drill's anxiety-inducing high-pitched whine, researchers revealed why it's worse for children than adults.

Health Margherita Bassi

Germaphobes, Rejoice! Airplane and Hospital Air Is Actually Pretty Clean, Study Claims

Researchers used face masks and an airplane air filter to find out what microbes are floating around.

Health Margherita Bassi

A Snorkeler in Nova Scotia Thought This Was a Leaf, but It Was Something Far Weirder

Studying Elysia chlorotica could be consequential for human industries, but the creatures have proven incredibly enigmatic.

Biology Margherita Bassi

Humans Can Detect Buried Objects Without Touching Them, Study Finds

We apparently have more in common with some shorebirds than we previously thought.

Physics & Chemistry Margherita Bassi

Diseased Baby Ants Ask Their Nestmates to Poison Them With Acid to Protect the Colony, Study Finds

Ant pupae might be less selfish than most humans.

Biology Margherita Bassi

Tropical Storms Drenched Mars for Millions of Years, Strange Pale Rocks Suggest

NASA's Perseverance rover found rocks on Mars that on Earth usually form in tropical environments.

Space & Spaceflight Margherita Bassi

6,700-Year-Old Shell Trumpets Were Prehistoric Communication Tools, Study Suggests

Researchers in Spain investigated what kind of noise shells used by Neolithic societies made.

Human History Margherita Bassi

Anacondas Are the Rare Prehistoric Giants That Never Shrank, Ssssstudy Reveals

New research shows anacondas have stayed the same massive size for 12 million years.

Biology Margherita Bassi

Earthquakes Did Something Unexpected to Life Deep Beneath Yellowstone

Researchers took a look at how earthquakes change what's available on the underground microbial menu.

Biology Margherita Bassi

This Pharaoh Crashed Another King’s Tomb With His Own Afterlife Workforce

The Ushbati figurines were meant to work for the dead.

Human History Margherita Bassi

A Woman in Thailand Believed to Be Dead Woke up in Her Coffin

A staff member at a Buddhist temple heard a knock while explaining to a relative how to get a death certificate.

Health Margherita Bassi

Black Hole Simulation Interstellar Travel

Should You Be Worried About a Tiny Black Hole Hitting Your Body?

A Vanderbilt physicist has both good and bad news.

Space & Spaceflight Margherita Bassi

Margherita Bassi

Christianity May Have Brought Face Tattoos to Medieval Nubia

New Clue Emerges From Botched Scandinavian Raid: A 2,300-Year-Old Fingerprint

This Star Is Being Eaten Alive—and Its Explosive Death Will Be Visible in Broad Daylight

Sperm Donor With a Cancer-Causing Gene Fathered at Least 197 Kids

This 400,000-Year-Old Campfire Could Rewrite Human History

Garlic Mouth Wash? The Science Says Yes

Ancient Construction Site at Pompeii Sheds Light on Rome’s Miraculous Self-Healing Cement

Even Minor Video Call Glitches Could Cost You a Job—or Your Freedom

Scientists Are Trying to Fix the Worst Sound in the World: the Dentist’s Drill

Germaphobes, Rejoice! Airplane and Hospital Air Is Actually Pretty Clean, Study Claims

A Snorkeler in Nova Scotia Thought This Was a Leaf, but It Was Something Far Weirder

Humans Can Detect Buried Objects Without Touching Them, Study Finds

Diseased Baby Ants Ask Their Nestmates to Poison Them With Acid to Protect the Colony, Study Finds

Tropical Storms Drenched Mars for Millions of Years, Strange Pale Rocks Suggest

6,700-Year-Old Shell Trumpets Were Prehistoric Communication Tools, Study Suggests

Anacondas Are the Rare Prehistoric Giants That Never Shrank, Ssssstudy Reveals

Earthquakes Did Something Unexpected to Life Deep Beneath Yellowstone

This Pharaoh Crashed Another King’s Tomb With His Own Afterlife Workforce

A Woman in Thailand Believed to Be Dead Woke up in Her Coffin

Should You Be Worried About a Tiny Black Hole Hitting Your Body?

A QR Code Too Small to See Hints at a New, Non-Annoying Use for the Format

Andy Weir Apologizes After ‘Star Trek’ Comment Backlash

Scientists Discover Hidden Behavior in Water That Helps Explain Why Ice Floats

The ‘Paradise’ Season 2 Finale Paved the Way for a Wildly Sci-Fi Season 3

A $1 Samsung Galaxy Smartphone Lands at Mint Mobile With Unlimited Data at 50% Off in a Clearance Push

Your Wimpy Workouts Aren’t Cutting It, Scientists Say

Anker Prime Power Bank Drops to an All-Time Low (200W, 20,100mAh, 3-Port) as Amazon Clears Out Remaining Spring Sale Stock

Students Are Now Renting Smart Glasses to Cheat on Exams

Roborock F25 GT Cordless Vacuum and Mop Hits Its Lowest Price in Spring Sale, 20,000Pa Cleaning Power Without the Premium Price Tag

New Details Add a Bizarre Twist to NASA’s First ISS Medical Evacuation

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

Nintendo’s Talking Flower Is Annoying as Hell. I Love It

Level Lock Pro Review: As Good as a Secret Smart Lock Gets