If you ever need reconstructive surgery you may well end up seeing medicinal leeches differently. Yulya Talerenok/Shutterstock Mike Jeffries, Northumbria University, Newcastle As we tidy away the Dracula capes and glow-in-the-dark plastic fangs for another winter, one notorious blood sucker has had a particularly good year. For the first time the medicinal leech Hirudo medicinalis […]
At the height of the Cold War, a terrifying concept emerged: a bomb so powerful it wouldn’t need to be dropped. Known as Project Sundial, this doomsday device would have left a 400-km radius in flames and plunged the world into darkness. It was a bomb that would destroy everything – not a weapon, but […]
Carl Sagan at his Cornell University laboratory in Ithaca, N.Y., in 1974. Santi Visalli, Inc./Archive Photos via Getty Images Jean-Luc Margot, University of California, Los Angeles On Nov. 9, 2024, the world will mark Carl Sagan’s 90th birthday – but sadly without Sagan, who died in 1996 at the age of 62. Most people remember […]
A photo of Jupiter taken by NASA’s Juno spacecraft in September 2023. NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS, image processing by Tanya Oleksuik Benjamin Roulston, Clarkson University Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to [email protected]. Why does Jupiter look like it has a […]
Ever wonder about the fascinating world of real-life “superpowers”? Check out this video where amazing conditions like Hyperthymestic Syndrome (giving people photographic memories), Tetrachromacy (allowing some to see a world of extra colors), and Myostatin-Related Muscle Hypertrophy (creating impressive natural strength) are explored. From Congenital Insensitivity to Pain to the rare “Vampire Syndrome,” each unique […]
Ever heard that cooking with black plastic utensils might not be the best choice for your health? If you’re even a little worried about things like microplastics in your food, you might want to rethink using that black plastic spatula or spoon in the kitchen. Here’s why: Some black plastics aren’t just regular plastic—they might […]
Ze Frank is back with a new episode of True Facts, and this one features parasitoid wasps. These wasps have parenting techniques that redefine creepy: from laying eggs inside living hosts to using paralyzing venom and virus manipulation. Ze Frank’s knack for comedic science storytelling sheds a bizarre light on wasps who avoid hands-on parenting […]
From their caramel centers to chocolatey coatings, several widely used candy-making processes go into the production of a single Snickers bar. NurPhoto / Contributor via Getty Images Richard Hartel, University of Wisconsin-Madison It’s Halloween. You’ve just finished trick-or-treating and it’s time to assess the haul. You likely have a favorite, whether it’s chocolate bars, peanut […]
Ever wondered what makes Sriracha the spicy superhero of sauces? This saucy little devil is equal parts science experiment and flavor explosion, turning humble chilies into a condiment that somehow manages to go with everything. Let’s dive into the chemistry that transforms this red delight into a must-have condiment, otherwise known as the “Get-on-Everything Sauce.” […]
When the clocks go back, things are even worse for night people. Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock Darren Rhodes, Keele University When the clocks go back and we gain an extra hour, it might seem like a welcome bonus. But not for everyone. Night owls, those who naturally prefer staying up late and waking up late, often find […]