SCIENCE

A Visual Guide to the Women Venus's Geography Is Named For

Almost every topographical feature on the second planet is named for a famous woman from mythology or history.

NASA/Kathryn Hansen via Flickr Creative Commons // CC BY 2.0

Experts Predict Widespread Ocean Warming by 2050

Up to 86 percent of the ocean surface will be warming and acidifying within the next few decades—unless we take steps to prevent it.

We're Not Alone: Itching is Contagious for Mice Too

How do sensations like feeling itchy spread among social animals? Researchers at the Center for the Study of the Itch are looking into it.

Malcolm MacIver, Northwestern University

New Theory: Eyes, Not Legs, First Brought Fish Out of Water

Scientists argue that the sight of all the juicy food available on land propelled early marine vertebrates to grow legs and get out there.

The Men Who Volunteered to Be Poisoned by the Government

In 1902, 12 men agreed to take low doses of poison in order to test their efficacy as food preservatives. No one died. Basically.

New Skin Patch Monitors Glucose and Delivers Diabetes Drugs

The patch uses sweat, not blood, to monitor blood sugar levels.

Yani Dubin via Flickr Creative Commons // CC BY-ND 2.0

Bumblebees Mark Their Trails With Tiny Scented "Footprints"

Foraging bumblebees leave unique scent marks on every flower they visit.

Former Tesla Engineer Develops Exoskeleton to Help a Friend Move Again

When her former classmate was paralyzed in an accident, engineer Sam Huynh left her job to help him.

What’s the Source of Energy That Powers the Human Brain?

Sugar's a big part of it.

Antibiotics, Pain Meds, and a Vegetarian Diet Found in Neanderthal Teeth

Dental plaque traps bits of food, bacteria, and pathogens. That might be bad news for you, but it’s good news for archaeologists.

Library of Congress, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

10 Crazy Creations of “Plant Wizard” Luther Burbank

Even if you haven't heard of Luther Burbank, you've probably tasted his work.

A Lake in Melbourne, Australia Has Turned Pink

The water's unusual shade can be chalked up to a variety of environmental factors.

Scientists Can Measure Exactly How Much Pee Is in the Pool

And it's more than you'd hope.

Hoops Hooley via Flickr Creative Commons // CC BY-NC 2.0

Yellow Is Actually the Optimal Taxi Color

Yellow taxis in Singapore got in six fewer accidents per month than blue ones.

5 Teams Aim for the Moon This Year—and the $20 Million Google Lunar XPrize

They have to beat the December 31, 2017 deadline.

Scientists Capture First Underwater Footage of Rare Beaked Whales

The True's beaked whale is one of the most elusive mammals in the ocean.

4 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Feed the Birds (Or Any Animals)

Step away from the bread.

10 of the Weirdest Beers Ever Brewed

There seems to be no end to the weird things beer makers will do to get noticed. Here are just a few of our favorites.

Researchers Want to Recreate What a New York Library Smelled Like in 1906

The olfactory experts have analyzed books, fabrics, and cigars to capture the perfect scent profile.

Courtesy of Enrique Peñalver (Museo Geominero, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Madrid, Spain).

When Flowers Were New, This Ancient Beetle in Amber Pollinated Differently

Scientists thought there were three ways ancient insects pollinated non-flowering plants. This beetle shows us there were four.

7 Amazing Facts About the Amygdala

We're still learning about one of the most important structures of the brain.

Unusual 100,000-Year-Old Human Skulls Found in China

The finds bolster the idea that the precursors to modern humans were a diverse bunch who routinely interbred with one another.

Florida Is Opening a New Body Farm

The Florida Forensic Institute for Research, Security and Tactical Training (FIRST) will be the seventh facility of its kind in the U.S.

5 Muscles You Might Be Missing

You're probably aware of some vestigial body parts, like wisdom teeth, that the human body doesn't really need. But did you know there are several muscles in that category as well?

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