SCIENCE

The Dark History Behind the Phrase ‘Canary in the Coal Mine’

Any early warning sign can be a canary in a coal mine. But the original meaning was more specific.

Interactive Cicada Map Shows Where You Can See (and Hear) Brood XIV This Spring

Use this map from the University of Connecticut to check if 17-year periodical cicadas will appear in your neighborhood soon.

Three outer cases of the “bone collector” caterpillar decorated with insect body parts.

This Newly-Identified Carnivorous Caterpillar Wears the “Bones” of Its Prey

The Hawaiian caterpillar adorns itself in dead bug parts—and its gruesome habits might be key to its survival in spider webs.

7 Fascinating Facts About the Sun

Get ready to feel small: The sun is 99.8 percent of the mass of the solar system. Here are more colossal facts about our star.

An aerial view of a sinkhole in Wales that appeared in December 2024.

What Causes Sinkholes?

Sinkholes have gulped down suburban homes, Corvettes, the White House lawn, a sizable chunk of Louisiana, and even people. How does the ground just open up like that?

‘Why, yes, I am from Long Island! How did you know?’

Do Animals Have Regional Accents?

Can a Boston dog bahk?

It's a 'red' lobster dinner for a reason.

The Reason Why Lobsters Turn Bright Red When You Boil Them

Lobsters don’t come out of the sea looking bright red—that only happens after you boil them. Find out more about why it happens here.

Sea Pigs, Sea Spiders, and More Bizarre Creatures Collected Off Antarctica

Researchers witness strange sea animals, including poisonous sea pigs and hand-sized sea spiders, while sailing to the Denman Glacier.

See the first colossal squid ever caught on camera

Rare Video Shows a Colossal Squid Swimming in the Deep Ocean

A baby colossal squid was filmed deep in the South Atlantic—revealing rare footage of the ocean’s heaviest invertebrate.

One of the reliable perks of airline travel.

Why Does Airplane Coffee Taste So Bad?

Why you can't get a good cup of joe at 35,000 feet.

An American Huey helicopter sprays Agent Orange over Vietnam.

Agent Orange: Its Toxic History in the Vietnam War

In a mission code-named Operation Ranch Hand, the U.S. military unleashed millions of gallons of the toxic defoliant during the Vietnam War—and some descendants of Vietnam veterans say they’re still paying the price.

Does De-Extinction Actually Work?

“It’s like if you took a chimpanzee and edited its genome to be a little taller and hairless, and then said you brought back Neanderthals,” one scientist said.

Here‘s the dreaded wisdom tooth doing its thing.

Why Do People Have Wisdom Teeth?

Once essential for early humans, wisdom teeth are now more of a nuisance than a necessity.

They might seem icky, but we can‘t live without them.

Fly Migration Is Essential to Our Ecosystem, Study Finds

Flies aren’t just decomposers—they’re also pollinators and pest predators. Researchers shows it’s time to appreciate these misunderstood insects.

Titanic: The Digital Resurrection | Official Trailer | National Geographic

‘Violently Torn Apart’: 3D ‘Titanic’ Model Reveals New Details of the Ship’s End

A digital double promises fresh insight into the tragedy of the ‘Titanic.’

Meet the Darwin’s Bark Spider, Weaver of the World’s Largest Webs

The web of a Darwin’s bark spider can span 82 feet.

This pile of yeast and bacteria could be helpful for scientists.

Researchers Are Asking Home Bakers to Donate Their Sourdough Starters to Science

Sourdough for science? Researchers are analyzing live cultures from bread starters to develop healthier, plant-based fermented foods.

India‘s Thar Desert is looking a little greener than this nowadays.

Indian’s Thar Desert Is Getting Greener, Thanks to Human Activity

Thanks to increased accessibility to water and energy, the Thar Desert is now the most populated desert on Earth.

A fireball streaks through the sky in Chelyabinsk, Russia, in 2013.

It’s Fireball Season: Spot Meteors Brighter than Venus this Spring

Learn about the mysteries of fireball season, which peaks in the weeks around the vernal equinox.

Many gopher tortoises withstood the Category 4 hurricane and are now adapting to new land.

A Florida Park’s Gopher Tortoise Population Exploded Thanks to Hurricane Helene

After Hurricane Helene devastated Florida’s coast, gopher tortoise populations unexpectedly surged in one area.

Where Does Astronaut Poop End Up?

It burns up in the atmosphere like a fecal shooting star.

Plums are only one of the fruits that the grafted tree can grow.

Temple University Welcomes Tree Bred to Grow 40 Different Fruits

Artist Sam Van Aken grafted a tree that grows dozens of fruit varieties from a single trunk.

That Sugar Rush Is All in Your Head—But Here’s Why It Happens

Scientists claim that sugar rushes aren’t actually as real as you might think, but the origins of this myth go back deep into American history.

History in the Making! Critically Endangered Galapagos Tortoises Hatch at Philadelphia Zoo!

97-Year-Old Galápagos Tortoise Breaks Record as First-Time Mom

A nearly century-old Galápagos tortoise welcomed four babies recently, boosting a critically endangered population.