SCIENCE

An osprey flies while carrying a fish in its talons.

11 Facts About Ospreys

Ospreys were once threatened by hunting and pesticides, but these birds of prey made a dramatic comeback.

A trap-jaw ant queen, prepared to smell like dessert if she's murdered.

Surprise! Some Ants Smell Like Chocolate

Trap-jaw ants have more tricks up their figurative sleeves than just trap jaws. And odorous house ants aren’t called that for nothing.

Intestinal Worms Just Helped Researchers Identify an Ancient Roman Chamber Pot

Roughly 1500 years ago, someone in Sicily suffered from intestinal worms. Here’s why researchers are excited about that.

The Windshield Phenomenon: Why You See Fewer Bugs Splattering Cars Today

You may be grateful that your car's windshield is cleaner than it used to be, but the lack of bugs on the road isn't something to celebrate.

5 Real-Life Zombies

While I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for the dead to rise from their graves, there are still plenty of zombies roaming the Earth.

Looking at Instagrams of Food Makes Eating Less Enjoyable

It’s time to put down the phone and look away from Instagram: Researchers found that people who look at pictures of food are less likely to enjoy the next meal they eat.

The Real-Life Neuroscience Behind Zombies

Most of the zombies you see on television and in movies moan and groan, and pull and tear, and lumber and shuffle, and remain highly focused on finding braiiinns to eat. But why do zombies act the way they do? They suffer from Consciousness Deficit Hypoac

A Rare East Coast Tsunami

Meet the Sea Slug With the Disposable Penis

Fans of '90s alternative music may recall King Missile's big single, "Detachable Penis." While the song may have been silly, it turns out than in the animal world, the idea isn't all that bizarre—at least not to the sea slug Chromodoris reticulata.

Why Do Snow Piles Take Forever to Melt?

It's warm, sunny, and nearly spring. Giant piles of nasty, filthy snow are still lining your streets. What gives?

6 Early Theories About the Origin of Language

By the Numbers: The Billions of Animals Killed by Cats

For the First Time Ever, Scientists Witnessed—and Recorded—Orcas Stalking and Killing a Blue Whale

New video evidence shows that orcas are capable of hunting and killing blue whales—the largest animals on Earth.

Yes, there are world records for lightning.

A Massive, 477-Mile Long Lightning Bolt Just Obliterated All Previous Records

The most metal of all weather events occurred in 2020, when a lightning bolt lit up the sky for nearly 500 miles.

A spectacled flying-fox bat in Australia.

7 Misconceptions About Bats

If you're worried that a bat is looking to swoop down at any given moment and suck down a few pints of your precious blood, we've got really great news for you.

Microwaved Tea Really Does Taste Bad—Here's Why

Tea really does taste better when it's made with a kettle instead of a microwave. Here's the science behind the phenomenon.

An image of Earth from 1 million miles away snapped on July 6, 2015 by a camera on NASA's Deep Space Climate Observatory spacecraft.

100 Facts About Earth

How much do you know about the blue marble we call home? From how our planet formed to just how many species there are, here are 100 things you need to know about Earth.

Why Does Fake Jewelry Turn Your Skin Green?

Learning how to stop a ring from turning your finger green is easy. So is understanding why it happens in the first place.

The Quest for the North Pole Bonus Episode 4: Live from Greenland

In the final bonus episode of The Quest for the North Pole, we travel to far northwestern Greenland to see the changing Arctic firsthand. Along the way, we'll see amazing wildlife, get frostbite, and realize how lucky we are not to be man-hauling thousand

100 Things We Learned in 2021

From really expensive NFTs to newly discovered shipwrecks to the latest developments in the world of K-Pop, here are a few things we learned in 2021.

Do Camels Really Store Water in Their Humps?

Where do camels store water? The humps may be the most obvious answer—but that doesn’t mean it’s correct.

Eumillipes persephone has legs and knows how to use them.

It's Official: With 1306 Legs, This Millipede Has the Most of Any Animal

Found 200 feet below ground in Australia, 'Eumillipes persephone' has 1306 legs to scamper around with.

Salvador Dalí used sleep to his creative benefit, and so can you.

This Napping Technique Used by Salvador Dalí and Thomas Edison Might Be Ideal for Creativity, According to Science

The method involves falling asleep only fleetingly, at which point your brain might be better prepared to tackle a creative problem. (Like a surrealist painting.)

Chimpanzees hang out in Gombe National Park.

9 Amazing Facts About Chimpanzees

Chimpanzees share about 98 percent of their genes with humans, but you wouldn't want to invite this side of the family over for dinner.

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