Mark Mancini is a freelance writer currently based in Texas. Over the years, he’s covered every subject from classic horror movies to Abe Lincoln’s favorite jokes. He is particularly fond of paleontology and has been reporting on new developments in this field since 2013. When Mark’s not at his writing desk, you can usually find him on stage somewhere because he loves to get involved with community theatre. And if you ever feel like trading puns for a few hours, he’s your guy.
RECENT CONTRIBUTIONS
The Asian longhorned tick has shown up in six states so far, and nobody knows how it got here.
All that seashell collecting you've been doing actually hurts the environment.
Partial migration — where some animals or birds in the same species migrate regularly and others don't — is more common than you'd think. But what explains that behavior?
NASA is launching its new Parker Solar Probe and it will get closer to the sun than any other spacecraft in history. But could we actually touch the sun some day?
The last satellite — Kepler — discovered more than 2,300 confirmed planets. This one is expected to find even more.
Scientists recently found 12 more moons revolving around Jupiter, bringing its total to 79. Why does Jupiter have so many darn moons? Is there any advantage to that?
And while we're at it, why don't the other planets in our solar system seem to twinkle?
You've heard of Google, but what about a Googol? If not, then this tutorial is for you.
Scorching-high temps seem to be the norm this summer. So what does this kind of heat do to your body?
It's the second lunar eclipse of 2018, but it will last longer than any other during the 21st century.
Ancient American dogs were decimated when the Europeans arrived. But these pre-Columbian dogs did leave behind a lasting legacy.
A fire can burn for years, yes years, in a swamp. What's the deal?
Like a phoenix from the ashes, fireweed is the first thing to sprout, helping reestablish areas decimated by fire and deforestation.
What benefit does one bird get from copying another bird's calls?
June 21 marks the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. There's even a midnight baseball game in Alaska to celebrate the 24 hours of sunlight.
Someone just paid $2.36 million to take home an exquisite dinosaur skeleton. The sale has added to the growing scientific anxiety about the commodification of precious, irreplaceable fossils.
Both dry and over-saturated soil can contribute to flash flooding. Can anything be done to prevent them from becoming catastrophic?
Wouldn't it be nice if we could pull CO2 out of thin air and transform it into a fuel that's better for the environment?
Tsunamis are triggered by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions on the ocean's floor. But other massive waves are caused by wind and can come on suddenly and without warning.
The evidence is clear: Human activities — like the burning of fossil fuels — are the main driving force behind modern climate change.
