Thursday Thirteen Edition #37

Thirteen Stories from NationalGeographic.com

• Canal Linking Ancient Egypt Quarry to Nile Found: Experts have found the first proof of a long-suspected theory: that the ancient Egyptians floated massive stone monuments directly from quarries to sites such as Giza and Luxor.
• Moonlet Study Sheds Light on Origins of Saturn’s Rings: Newly found clusters of large ice chunks support the theory that Saturn’s rings formed as icy moons were slowly pulverized.
• Solomon’s Temple Artifacts Found by Muslim Workers: Muslim maintenance workers have discovered artifacts on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, a holy area closed off to archaeological exploration.
• King Tut Died in Hunting Accident, Expert Says: The boy pharaoh likely died after falling from his chariot while hunting, according to Egypt’s top archaeologist.
• “Electromagnetic Wormhole” Could Make Objects Invisible: A theoretical tunnel of light-bending materials could allow for more precise surgeries, a new study says. Meanwhile, scientists are closing in on techniques for mass-producing such substances.
• “Polar Predator” Dino Tracks Found: Fossilized tracks recently discovered in southern Australia are proof that large, meat-eating dinosaurs once roamed Antarctica a hundred million years ago, scientists say.
• Vibrating Mice” Develop Less Fat, Study Shows: Young lab mice put on a vibrating platform everyday developed less fat—suggesting that these “good vibrations” may prevent fat cells from forming.
• Moonlight Triggers Mass Coral “Romance”: A moonlight-sensing protein triggers millions of corals to release their sperm and eggs simultaneously in the Great Barrier Reef, a new study says.
• Young Sea Lion Revived in Peru: Found with deep wounds, the sea lion was released back into ocean this week by a group that says South American sea lion and seal populations are declining.
• Giant Snails, Once a Delicacy, Overrun Brazil: The invasive snail, originally imported as an exotic menu item, has instead left a trail of disease and environmental damage throughout the country, experts say.
• Ugandan Cranes Declining Due to “Witch Doctors”: The gray crowned crane, Uganda’s iconic national bird, is dwindling in number as “witch doctors” and poachers illegally take the birds for potions and pets.
• Mussels’ Mighty Grip Inspires Dopamine-Based Glue: The complex cocktail of proteins the mollusks use to latch on to surfaces led researchers to develop a new sticky coating based on a brain chemical.
• Elephants Distinguish Human Friends From Foes by Smell: Elephants race for safety upon smelling clothes worn by Maasai men, who occasionally spear the animals, a new study reveals. Clothing worn by less threatening Kamba men, however, evokes a milder reaction.