SCIENCE

Vintage illustration of Thomas Edison and the phonograph.

11 Surprising Facts About Thomas Edison

You may know that Thomas Edison was a prolific inventor who revolutionized the electric light bulb. But have you heard about his creepy talking dolls?

New Spacecraft Named After Katherine Johnson Honors the Pioneering NASA Mathematician

A cargo craft delivering supplies to the International Space Station has been named after Katherine Johnson, the influential "human computer" who helped send the first Americans to space.

What Exactly Is White Noise?

Your favorite ASMR playlist probably isn’t true white noise—or brown noise or pink noise, for that matter.

The World's Tiniest Reptile Has Disproportionately Large Genitals

'Brookesia nana' males may be less than 1 inch long, but they make up for it by being able to strut around a locker room with enormous reproductive organs.

Sprout of Office: Scientists Taught Spinach Plants to Send Emails About Hazardous Materials in the Soil

“I hope this email finds you well during these unprecedented times.” —A spinach plant in your inbox.

National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), NOAA

What Exactly Is a Nor’easter?

Nor’easters have earned their reputation for wreaking havoc on land. But what qualifies a storm as a nor’easter?

Say “Freeze!”: An Innovative High-Resolution Camera Captures the Stunning Intricacies of Snowflakes

Snowflake photography is a tricky business, so one innovative cameraman built a whole new device for it.

Double-masking can offer additional protection.

Does Double-Masking for Coronavirus Protection Make Sense? We Asked an Expert

The practice of doubling up on masks has been gaining attention, but it's not new advice. An expert explains.

10 Foods You Can Safely Eat After the Expiration Date

While there's no single answer to how long eggs are good after their expiration date, they usually don't spoil right away.

Psittacosaurus may have attracted mates using its fetching rear end.

Rectum Mended Reading: Paleontologists Have Reconstructed a Dinosaur's Butthole to Understand Their Mating Habits

The rear end of a 'Psittacosaurus' fossil was so well-preserved that scientists were able to reconstruct it. It even had a little poop in it.

Why Does Our Hair Grow Darker as We Get Older?

You can chalk it up to hormone changes, but your genes aren’t so innocent when it comes to hair color.

Game of Thrones’s Dire Wolves Existed—But a New Study Suggests They Weren’t Really Wolves

New research suggests that the real-life inspiration for Ghost from 'Game of Thrones' wasn’t a wolf species.

Young alligators can regenerate their tails.

Surprise! Alligators Can Regrow Their Tails

A small study of four young American alligators demonstrated that they can regrow damaged tails up to 9 inches in length.

Bats can get cranky when they're being bothered by other bats.

Bats Argue a Lot, According to Science

The winged creatures are a mainstay of the macabre. But bats are probably too busy yelling at each other to bother you.

Mercury Reaches Its Greatest Eastern Elongation in January 2021

Kick off another year of skygazing by catching Mercury at its greatest distance from the sun on the evening of January 23.

Scientists Have Observed Octopuses "Punching" Fish Silly

Researchers at the University of Lisbon have confirmed that octopuses will not hesitate to check a fish by smacking it senseless.

Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency relaxes on board the International Space Station on December 25, 2014.

Starry Night: A History of Celebrating Christmas in Space

The space program often calls for astronauts to be in orbit for the holidays. Here's how they do it.

A glamour shot of the mummy at the Argonne National Laboratory.

Researchers Used Advanced X-Rays to Reveal Secrets of an Ancient Egyptian Mummy—Without Unwrapping It

It’s far from the first time an ancient mummy has been scanned, but this technology isn’t any old X-ray.

How the Polio Epidemic of 1950 Gave Wytheville, Virginia, a 'Summer Without Children'

Seventy years ago, a polio epidemic swept through Wytheville, Virginia—and the town went on lockdown.

Here are clear directions for a clear windshield.

How to Defog Your Windshield Quickly, According to a Former NASA Engineer

Foggy glass can make your drive dangerous—here’s how to get rid of it quickly (and how to avoid it in the first place).

3D Map Shows the Milky Way Galaxy in Unprecedented Detail

With this new map of the Milky Way, astronomers can calculate the galaxy's mass and learn more about its past and future.

Science is closer to understanding what prompts severe COVID-19 illness.

Scientists Come Closer to Understanding COVID-19 'Cytokine Storms'

The "cytokine storms" that precede severe illness in patients with COVID-19 has been poorly understood. New research has traced the risk of lung damage and organ failure to two key proteins that have the potential to be treated with drugs.

National Trust, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Archaeologists Discover the Jousting Yard Where Henry VIII Had His Historic Accident

Henry VIII nearly lost his life while jousting in 1536. Now, archaeologists have located the site of the history-making accident.

Bremont's New Stephen Hawking Watch Contains Pieces of the Late Scientist's Desk

Keep Stephen Hawking's memory alive with a watch made from pieces of his beloved desk, with proceeds supporting The Stephen Hawking Foundation.

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