The dark side of tortoises

The turtle is understood to be the admirable one. Slow and steady, winning the race. Deliberate. Heroic.

But that line of thinking does this ancient, complex creature a character-reducing disservice. The hard-shelled reptile hasn’t lived on the planet for millennia without getting its feet a little dirty. Individually, you don’t live in the wild for more than a century and stay innocent the entire time.

I’m Nick Lucchesi, and this is Inverse Daily. Keep reading to learn more about the dark side of tortoise behavior.

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Why the most underrated part of coffee is so important — Sarah Wells reports on Researchers from Ohio State University presented new work at the American Chemical Society fall meeting revealing the chemistry behind good coffee:

Watch out coffee enthusiasts, a new specification to obsess over has just dropped — and it might totally change the beans you buy.

Whether you’re drinking a meticulously steeped pour-over or grabbing a coffee at your local drive-thru, coffee drinkers know that the “mouthfeel” of their drink can have a huge impact on how much they enjoy it. From novices to baristas, people can usually tell a pretty good coffee from a watery mess.

Read the full story.

The more you know (about coffee):

• Five reasons drinking coffee improves brain power
• Science debunks the biggest myth about coffee and growth
• Coffee and climate change: This bean could save your morning brew

Watch: Perseverance captures a sparkling sight from Mars — Passant Rabie reports on a time-lapsed image created by the Perseverance rover of a Martian moon named Deimos:

If you’re stuck excavating rocks on a planet for 687 Earth days, a little skywatching break is in order.

NASA’s Perseverance rover captured incredible footage of one of the two Martian moons shining in the planet’s skies. The 17-second time-lapse was posted on the rover’s Twitter account on Friday.

The foot reveals Deimos as a small, glistening speck above Mars. If you squint, you can see the moon on the right side of the image.

Read the full story (and see the image).

The more you know (about Mars):

• Phobos: Why the largest Martian moon may reveal alien life
• ExoMars rover: The next big Mars mission is taking off
• See if you can spy this Mars Easter egg snapped by NASA’s Ingenuity

Watch: Video reveals “horrifying and amazing” tortoise behavior — Bryan Lawver has created a card story that twists the cliche that tortoises are seen as slow, gentle herbivores: A new study on hunting behavior complicates the picture:

A few characteristics likely come to mind when you think of a tortoise: slow, gentle, and maybe a little dopey. However, as a new study of a tortoise attacking a tern chick proves, you may want to add methodical hunter to that list. A warning here: This story is not for the faint of heart.

Read about the dark side of tortoises.

The more you know (about turtles):

• How Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles devastated the world’s turtle population
• A unique trait shared by tortoises and humans changes a scientific belief
• 'Zombie' species: 7 'extinct' animals rediscovered by science

7 foods scientifically proven to boost heart health — Jenn Walter has created a guide on leafy greens, lean meats, nuts, and more — the tasty foods are sure to give your heart a boost, thanks to their rich vitamin and mineral components:

We know the best ways to keep your heart healthy are to eat well and exercise. But when it comes to nutrition, which foods give your central organ the biggest boost? Foods rich in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and certain vitamins and minerals can protect your heart for years to come.

See the full card story.

The more you know (about nuts):

• The future of milk is nuts!
• Aw, nuts! Here's exactly how your peanut allergy can kill you.
• Nut industry funds yet another study linking nuts to orgasms

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