SCIENCE

Three hurricanes swirl in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean in 2010.

What’s the Difference Between Hurricanes, Cyclones, and Typhoons?

Depending on where they originate, these destructive storms go by different names.

Why Do Older People Grunt or Moan While Sitting Down or Standing Up?

It's known as "middle-aged groan," and it afflicts millions who dare try to get off the couch.

Sandhill cranes over Nebraska's Platte River.

Which Birds Are Migrating Through Your Area? This Interactive Tool Tells You

BirdCast tells you how many birds are flying overhead on a given night, which species are coming and going, and more.

On August 21, 1986, Lake Nyos produced a deadly cloud of carbon dioxide.

Killer Lakes: Why Limnic Eruptions May Be the World’s Rarest Natural Disasters

Two events in Cameroon are the only recorded instances of limnic eruptions. Scientists are trying to prevent a third.

No Sh*t: People Who Swear More May Also Be More Honest, Study Says

No, we’re not f***ing lying.

A reconstruction of Ötzi the Iceman at the South Tyrol Archaeological Museum in Italy.

13 Cool Facts About Ötzi the Iceman

Nicknamed Ötzi the Iceman, the mummified man was around 40–50 years old when he died in the Copper Age. Here are 13 surprising facts about him.

How Much Free Food Is It Socially Acceptable to Take? Finally, Science Has The Answer

How many cups of coffee are too many cups of coffee to drink in a day when it's on your employer's dime? Researchers dug down to find the answer.

The position he's in could actually increase his chances of surviving a high fall.

How Far Can You Fall and Still Survive?

How and where you land is one of the major factors in whether you get up from the ground or go 6 feet further into it

There‘s a scientific reason you love the smell of gas so much.

There’s a Scientific Reason Why Some People Love the Smell of Gasoline

If you find the pungent aroma of gas pleasant at the pump, you're not alone. Here's why fuel tickles your brain.

Guests look at a portrait of Henrietta Lacks.

How Henrietta Lacks Became the Mother of Modern Medicine

Though she died of cancer in 1951, Henrietta Lacks's immortal cells became the foundation for countless medical advancements.

Some string theorists predict at least 10 dimensions, most of which humans can’t perceive.

How Many Dimensions Are There in the Universe?

According to string theory, there are at least 10 dimensions of space, most of which are impossible for humans to perceive.

12 Famous Birthdays to Celebrate in August

A number of noteworthy historical figures were born in the month of August. We couldn’t possibly name them all, so here are just a handful of lives we’ll be celebrating.

Xiulin Ruan and a sample of his cooling paint.

Scientists Have Created the Whitest Paint Ever—and It Might Help Cool the Planet

The ultra-white paint can block up to 98 percent of the sun's rays. Applied on roofs, it could have a dramatic cooling effect on homes and buildings.

The Perseid meteor shower can produce 100 meteors per hour.

The 2023 Perseid Meteor Shower Will Light Up August Skies—Here’s How to See It

Observers will have a good chance at spotting a dazzling display of meteors and even fireballs during 2023's Perseid meteor shower.

Citron, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA-3.0

11 Fascinating Facts About the Frilled Shark

The eel-like shark is rarely seen by humans, but one was just found off the coast of Portugal.

Scientists who worked on the Chicago Pile-1, a component of the Manhattan Project. Leo Szilard is pictured in the middle row in the trench coat.

“I Will Have Nothing to Do with a Bomb!”: The Scientists Who Opposed the Manhattan Project

Before J. Robert Oppenheimer had a change of heart, some of his fellow scientists opposed the U.S. government’s plan to make and deploy an atomic bomb.

10 Fascinating Facts About J. Robert Oppenheimer

The enigmatic physicist at the center of Christopher Nolan's newest film may have come to regret being known as the “Father of the Atomic Bomb.”

A Little-Known Tick Trick Allows Them to 'Jump' Onto Your Skin

Ticks can't fly, but they can still defy gravity to start sucking your blood.

A neutrino has interacted with an ice molecule, producing a muon that moves at relativistic speed in the ice, leaving a trace of blue light behind it.

10 Freaky Facts About Neutrinos, the Weirdest Particles in the Universe

Trillions of neutrinos zoom through you every second. Here's what you should know about these mysterious, nearly mass-less subatomic particles.

A strong El Niño in 2016 appears like a red tongue in the equatorial Pacific Ocean.

What Is El Niño, and Why Does It Have Such a Big Impact?

How can warm water in the Pacific Ocean affect the weather thousands of miles away? Everything is connected.

This August features not one, but two super moons—and the second is a blue moon.

August’s Two Super Moons Are Coming: Don't Miss the Full Sturgeon Moon and Rare Super Blue Moon in 2023

All the details for when August’s two super moons are coming, and what a giant freshwater fish has to do with it.

Plastic bags are an environmental disaster.

How Long Does It Really Take for a Plastic Bag to Decompose?

Technically, they really don't.

Rogue waves have the power to sink freighters.

10 Surprising Facts About Rogue Waves

These freak waves are rare and unpredictable—and are believed to have caused numerous shipwrecks.

A sign on the Hoover Dam warns of dangerous heat levels on September 16, 2022, in Boulder City, Nevada.

What Is a Heat Dome?

Heat domes are masses of hot air trapped within the atmosphere by high pressure. And they're becoming more common, thanks to climate change.

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