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Have Aliens Already Visited Earth? – Live Science

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ufo - pixabay

Fox News published a startling article Monday (Dec. 3) with the headline “NASA scientist says Earth may have been visited by aliens.” Unsurprisingly, that news rocketed around the web, with similar articles soon turning up in the New York Post, Russia Today and The Daily Wire. (Fox appears to have been the first major U.S. news source to run with the story.) These articles are based on a document on NASA’s website by Silvano Colombano, a researcher at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California. It really does argue that scientists should at least take seriously the notion that … Read more

What’s Beneath the Transylvanian Castle That Imprisoned ‘Dracula’? – Live Science

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Corvin Castle - Pixabay

A historic Transylvanian castle that may have once imprisoned Vlad the Impaler — likely inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula — still stands today. But what lies beneath it? Because of centuries of rebuilding and additions, archaeologists weren’t sure where the castle’s original foundation lay. [24 Amazing Archaeological Discoveries] However, new research using radar scans of the ground beneath the structure is revealing what’s going on below the building’s imposing facade. The findings were presented on Wednesday (Dec. 12) here at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union. Castelul Corvinilor — also known as Corvin Castle, Hunedoara Castle or Hunyadi … Read more

ANNOUNCEMENT/GIVEAWAY: Escape From the Holidays Collection

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Escape From the Holidays Collection

Escape from the Holidays Collection For the second year in a row, Mischief Corner Books is putting out a winter holiday collection – Escape from the Holidays – ten stories revolving around various December holidays: The end of year holidays can get overwhelming for anyone. Things to do. People to see. Last minute work obligations to take care of. Sometimes it’s just easier to escape from it all, running away from the responsibilities and expectations, or ignore the underlying disappointment from relatives who don’t see eye-to-eye with you. Because escaping the holiday grind can lead to new, unexpected paths, and … Read more

FOR WRITERS: Imposter Syndrome

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imposter syndrome - deposit photos

FOR WRITERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Aidee Ladnier: Let’s talk about ways to combat insecurity and imposter syndrome – when you accomplish great things but still think that you don’t deserve the accolades. That someone will find out you’re not as great as they think you are, in other words a fraud. It’s basically a mental insecurity issue. I was wondering if other writers (because a lot of writers suffer from this) had any coping mechanisms to deal with it. Join the chat

First They Found Hobbits. Now… Elves? – Live Science

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Little Foot

Following an epic 20-year-long excavation in South Africa, researchers have finally recovered and cleaned the nearly complete skeleton of an ancient human relative: an approximately 3.67-million-year-old hominin nicknamed Little Foot. Little Foot is likely a previously unknown species, the researchers said. In four newly posted studies — all available on bioRxiv, meaning they are not yet published in a peer-reviewed journal — the researchers delved into Little Foot’s anatomy. Their findings reveal that Little Foot likely walked upright on two feet and probably had a nearly lifelong injury on her left arm. The successful two-decade-long excavation of Little Foot was … Read more

ANNOUNCEMENT/GIVEAWAY: Worst Holiday Ever Anthology

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Worst Holiday Ever Anthology blog tour

There’s a new holiday romance anthology out: Worst Holiday Ever. It’s the most wonderful time of the year! OK—scratch that. It’s time for another obligatory family gathering. And nothing spices up the egg nog like bringing your partner home. Surely your belligerent brother-in law, your gimlet-eyed granny and your drunken uncle will keep it classy. With forced proximity and alcoholic beverages, what could possibly go wrong? Decked Out by Eva Moore A Perfect Fit by Adrienne Bell Crazy Old Money by Kilby Blades Stealing Christmas by Kari Lemor Touched by Fate by Preslaysa Williams Ringing in the Reefer by Marie … Read more

Rambling Through the Year—Jeff Baker, Boogieman In Lavender

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                        Some End-Of-the-Year Rambling By Jeff Baker   The end-of-the year is a time for reflections. On the year, on life, on history. Maybe on the future.  A few weeks ago, we saw “J.F.K.: Reckless Youth,” a mini-series from the 1990s. Watching it made us remember how young the boys were who went off to fight World War Two. And that John F. Kennedy, still to many a symbol of youth and vigor, was born in 1917 while World War One was still going on. World War One, now … Read more