SCIENCE

Room temperature is a frame of reference.

What Exactly Is ‘Room Temperature’?

Misunderstanding room temperature can have some surprisingly serious consequences.

In space, it isn’t just number one and done.

To Boldly Go: The Science Behind Pooping in Space

Coming up with a practical way of replicating the earthbound poop experience took many years, many engineers, and a whole lot of ingenuity.

This is a scene you might recognize from every police procedural ever.

How Do Two-Way Mirrors Work?

And how you can tell a two-way mirror from a standard one.

Introducing the Woolly Devil, the Newest Plant Discovered in Big Bend National Park

The woolly devil—a recently identified plant species—has researchers intrigued because it belongs to a brand new genus.

People with mind blindness cannot visualize things in their minds.

What Is Mind Blindness?

Aphantasia is a little-understood phenomenon that affects about 4 percent of the population. There are several theories behind what causes it.

'Psylla frodobagginsi' (left) and Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' (2001).

10 Cool Animals Named After Lord of the Rings Characters

These creatures don't live in Middle-earth—but they sound like they could.

It’s easier to forecast earthquakes than predict them.

Why Can’t We Predict Earthquakes?

To predict quakes, scientists have to understand how they occur, what happens just before and during the start of one, and whether it shows signs that movement is imminent. So far, none of those things is known.

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly watches a bunch of fresh carrots float in front of him on the International Space Station.

11 Daily Tasks That Are Hard to Do in Space (And How Astronauts Actually Do Them)

NASA scientists have figured out ways for astronauts to eat bread without leaving crumbs, shower without running water, and sleep without floating free from their beds.

Sleeping naked might improve your sleep quality.

Should You Sleep in the Nude? Here’s What the Experts Say

Sleeping in your birthday suit may feel good, but is it good for you?

A fragment of the organic glass found inside the skull of the deceased individual in Herculaneum.

A Vesuvius Victim’s Brain Turned into Glass, and Scientists Think They Know How

The Herculaneum resident, killed by the volcanic eruption in 79 CE, presents the only known vitrified brain on Earth. Now, researchers have a theory for how it happened.

The ‘Eagle’ has (crash-) landed: The Andrée expedition’s balloon on the ground on Kvitøya, Svalbard.

The Disastrous North Pole Balloon Mission of 1897

Swedish engineer Salomon August Andrée and two companions wanted to fly a hydrogen balloon over the North Pole. Their Arctic mission didn’t go as planned.

Katherine Johnson at NASA's Langley Research Center, 1980.

10 Fascinating Facts About Katherine Johnson

Before she helped send the first astronauts to the moon, Katherine Johnson was a human “computer” working behind the scenes at NASA.

An illustration of the vagus nerve’s location in the human body.

9 Fascinating Facts About the Vagus Nerve

The vagus nerve does it all—tells your lungs to breathe, controls your heart rate, and even forms the foundation for a whole new medical field.

Luigi Galvani, a possible model for Dr. Frankenstein, conducts his famous experiments on frogs.

7 People Who Might Have Inspired Dr. Frankenstein

Who was a model for Mary Shelley’s protagonist? Candidates include a 17th-century alchemist and Charles Darwin’s grandfather.

The Chimborazo hillstar is native to the Andes of Ecuador and southern Colombia.

Hummingbirds Found Nesting Together in Groups in Surprising First

An ornithologist discovered a hummingbird “hive” in Ecuador‘s High Andes—a major departure for the solitary animals.

Skylab 2 commander Peter Conrad attempts to take a shower aboard the spacecraft in 1973.

How Do Astronauts Shower in Space?

Here on Earth, we tend to take showering for granted. But getting clean isn’t so easy without the force of gravity helping you out.

5 Misconceptions About Antarctica

Misconception No. 4 : It snows a lot.

Many alligators were found in Alachua County‘s sewage system.

At Least One Florida Sewage System Is Swimming With Alligators, Study Shows

Alligators living in the sewers isn’t just an urban legend.

Robert Kennicott, pictured against Alaska’s Kennicott Glacier, was a key figure in the Smithsonian’s formative years.

Death of a Scientist: The Mysterious Demise of Smithsonian Pioneer Robert Kennicott

In 1866, Kennicott was found dead near the Yukon River. It would be 150 years before anyone knew why.

A wooden tablet covered in still-undeciphered Rongorongo script.

8 Ancient Writing Systems That Haven’t Been Deciphered Yet

Without a Rosetta Stone for these centuries-old writing systems, the meaning of the texts may never be known.

A 19th-century illustration of a human heart.

11 Fit Facts About the Heart

Technically, your heart isn’t made of gold. And don't wear it in on your sleeve—you’ll make a mess. Here are 11 scientific facts about your ticker.

Are You Smart Enough to Pass Thomas Edison’s Impossible Employment Test?

Thomas Edison’s 146-question employment test was so difficult that the inventor’s own son—as well as Albert Einstein—reportedly flunked it.

Fossilized human footprints in New Mexico’s White Sands National Park are between 21,000 and 23,000 years old and pre-date the Clovis people in North America.

8 Ancient Archaeological Sites That Pre-Date the Clovis People

Archaeologists used to think that the Clovis people were the first inhabitants of the Americas some 13,500 years ago. The evidence from these ancient sites says otherwise.

Mantis Shrimp Remain Unharmed While Dealing Deadly Punches, Study Shows

Mantis shrimp can deal incredible blows without damaging themselves, but how? The makeup of their armor is key.