Swept from desert burrows, hundreds, if not thousands, of scorpions skittered into villages, stinging at least 503 people.
Tag: Deserts
The 11th Plague: Four-Inch Scorpions Called Deathstalkers Descend on Egypt
Driven from underground by what seemed like a storm of biblical fury, hundreds or maybe thousands of the angry arthropods attacked humans with their storied stingers.
Inside a Peyote Pilgrimage
Drug tourists, mining companies and farming encroachment are threatening the Wixárika people’s annual hunt for the psychedelic plant in the Mexican desert.
Where the Grass is Greener, Except When It’s ‘Nonfunctional Turf’
Plus, mammoths in Vegas, watermelon snow, Miami’s looming sea wall and more in the Friday edition of the Science Times newsletter.
Surviving in Isolation, Where the Steppe Has Turned to Sand
In the Russian republic of Kalmykia, the encroaching desert has transformed the landscape. “Nature,” one farmer said, “is forcing us to leave.”
Drought and Abundance in the Mesopotamian Marshes
Once vengefully drained by Saddam Hussein, the wetlands in southeastern Iraq have since been partially restored. Now the region and its isolated settlements face a new set of challenges.
Glimpses of Sudan’s Forgotten Pyramids
Desecrated by plunderers, threatened by floodwaters and largely overshadowed by their Egyptian counterparts, Sudan’s ancient archaeological sites may finally be poised to receive broader recognition.
The Skin-Deep Physics of Sidewinder Snakes
A close-up on snake skin helped scientists work out what might help certain snakes navigate sandy surfaces.
Aided by Modern Ingenuity, a Taste of Ancient Judean Dates
The harvest of the much-extolled but long-lost Judean dates was something of a scientific miracle. The fruit sprouted from seeds 2,000 years old.
‘If You’re Not Sweating’ in This Town, ‘There’s Something Wrong’
In Marble Bar, which claims to be Australia’s hottest town, the temperature hit at least 113 degrees on 32 days this summer. Some residents worry that “there’s got to be a point where you actually start to cook.”