SCIENCE

Hawaii is home to a number of lava tubes.

What Is a Lava Tube, and Where Can I Find One?

Caves and volcanoes don’t often go hand-in-hand in our imaginations, but the second most common type of cave in the world is made from the power of volcanoes.

How Does Sword Swallowing Really Work?

The ancient art of sword swallowing may seem like some sort of elaborate trick—but it’s very, very real (and very, very dangerous).

Meet Pepper X: Guinness World Records’ New Hottest Pepper

The Carolina Reaper used to be the hottest pepper in the world—but it just got dethroned by its own offspring.

Watching a scary movie can definitely send shivers down your spine—but why?

Why Do We Get Shivers Down Our Spines?

You’re watching a scary movie or the music swells during your favorite song—the shiver up and down your spine is your body responding to a range of emotions.

Death is the start of a great adventure.

30 Astonishing Facts About Death

No, your fingernails don't keep growing after death. Here are 29 other amazing facts about your final exit.

Koalas Aren’t Bears, So Why Do People Call Them “Koala Bears”?

If you were an 18th-century settler in Australia with no knowledge of marsupials, you just might decide to call a koala a ‘bear,’ right?

Scientists investigated whether Ouija Boards could speak for those beyond the veil.

8 Victorian Scientists Who Investigated Ghosts

Some 19th-century scientists embraced psychical research, while others tried to debunk the sensational stories.

Still from 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' (1951) beside illustration of a theremin.

Audio Invasion: How the Theremin Went From Soviet Labs to Hollywood

The theremin—a spooky instrument that scored the biggest sci-fi films of the 1950s—was invented by accident.

Planning a Vacation? Here’s How to Make Sure You Don’t Bring Any Bed Bugs Home With You

A study shows that bed bugs love dirty clothes. Follow these tips to keep them from hitching a ride home with you.

Watch Rare Drone Footage of Bryde’s Whales Feeding

Scientists in New Zealand used a custom-built drone to record this rare moment.

Bill Clinton’s administration wasn’t happy with Warner Bros. or director Robert Zemeckis.

Why the Movie ‘Contact’ Annoyed Bill Clinton

The 1997 sci-fi film was a solid hit with audiences, but the POTUS had a problem with how he was portrayed in the movie.

The cover of Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein.’

11 Surprising Facts About Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’

Here are the nuts and bolts about Mary Shelley's 200-year-old tale about what can go wrong when people play God.

NASA Is Finally Looking Into UFOs

The space agency now has an official division for investigating reports of flying objects.

Your Smartwatch Is Absolutely Filthy With Germs, According to Science

There's no easy way to say it, but your Fitbit might have a little poop on it.

Why Do Goats Have Such Weird Eyes?

The shape of an animal’s pupils is a clue to its place in the food chain.

Pigs could be the next step in organ transplantation.

Scientific Progress Goes 'Oink': Part-Human Kidneys Have Been Grown in Pig Embryos

Kidney transplants my one day get an assist from porcine vessels.

Dolly the sheep created a media frenzy in 1997.

Dollymania: When Dolly the Sheep Created a ’90s Media Sensation

Dolly the sheep was the first animal cloned from a single adult cell—and raised a lot of questions about the future of human cloning.

A galaxy cluster surrounded by blue-toned cosmic microwave background radiation left over from the Big Bang.

8 Mind-Blowing Facts About the Big Bang

The birth of our universe happened at least 13 billion years ago—and you may have seen it on TV.

The Mesh Grating on Your Microwave Is Actually an Important Safety Feature

To block microwave radiation, all you need is a simple screen.

Antigen tests are a handy tool to reduce infection.

Your Expired At-Home COVID-19 Test Might Not Be Expired After All

Don't throw away that expired nose swab kit just yet.

Watch an Early Silent Film About the Theory of Relativity

In 1923, filmmakers attempted to demonstrate Einstein's theory of relativity with pistols.

10 Facts About the Portuguese Man O’ War

The Portuguese Man O' War might look like a bloated jellyfish, but it’s actually a strange amalgamation of tiny life forms.

Speech Bubble: How Scientists Working in Antarctica Inadvertently Developed a New Accent

A 2019 study of scientists over-wintering in Antarctica revealed subtle but measurable changes in the participants’ speech.

Thomas Edison: a genius who struggled with math.

6 Famous Scientists and Inventors Who Struggled With Math

Some of the world's greatest scientists have struggled with math—just like the rest of us.

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