Ants from different colonies will fight based on smell alone. Joseph Howell, Vanderbilt University, CC BY-ND Laurence Zwiebel, Vanderbilt University and Stephen Ferguson, Vanderbilt University Ants can be found in nearly every location on Earth, with rough estimates suggesting there are over 10 quadrillion individuals – that is a 1 followed by 16 zeroes, or […]
The star system V883 Orionis contains a rare star surrounded by a disk of gas, ice and dust. A. Angelich (NRAO/AUI/NSF)/ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), CC BY John Tobin, National Radio Astronomy Observatory Without water, life on Earth could not exist as it does today. Understanding the history of water in the universe is critical to understanding how […]
Harvard professor and “How to Build a Life” columnist Arthur C. Brooks answers the internet’s burning questions about “happiness.” Does anyone else feel depression after completing a goal? Can social media cause depression? Do we get happier as we age? What is the true meaning of happiness? Arthur answers all these questions and much more. […]
Many animals need sleep. But all of the threats and demands animals face don’t just go away when it’s time to doze. That’s why a range of birds, mammals, and even humans experience some degree of asymmetrical sleep, where parts of the brain are asleep and other areas are more active. So, how does it […]
The world’s strongest magnet, located in Tallahassee, Florida, at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, is a million times stronger than Earth’s magnetic field! Watch as Veritasium’s host, Derek Muller, turns into a gleeful child as he conducts various experiments on the magnet while explaining the science behind it. As far as I’m concerned this […]
Over 8,000 satellites are orbiting Earth today, capturing images like this, of the Louisiana coast.NASA Earth Observatory Qiusheng Wu, University of Tennessee If you want to track changes in the Amazon rainforest, see the full expanse of a hurricane or figure out where people need help after a disaster, it’s much easier to do with […]
One mathematical constant describes the population growth rate of a bunch of rabbits.Supalerk Laipawat/EyeEm via Getty Images Manil Suri, University of Maryland, Baltimore County March 14 is celebrated as Pi Day because the date, when written as 3/14, matches the start of the decimal expansion 3.14159… of the most famous mathematical constant. By itself, pi […]
Mosquitoes cause more human fatalities annually than any other animal, yet only a small percentage of the 3,500 mosquito species transmit deadly diseases. Researchers have been experimenting with gene drives, a type of engineered technology, which could potentially eliminate the most dangerous mosquitoes. In this TED Ed video, Talya Hackett explores the question of whether […]
These Georgetown University medical students used donated cadavers in their anatomy class in 2011. Bill O’Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images Susan Lawrence, University of Tennessee and Susan E. Lederer, University of Wisconsin-Madison In 1956, Alma Merrick Helms announced that she was bound for Stanford University. But she would not be attending classes. Upon learning […]
A human fungal zombie from the TV show ‘The Last of Us.’ Liane Hentscher/HBO Sheryl Barringer, The Ohio State University In the HBO series “The Last of Us,” named after the popular video game of the same name, the flour supplies of the world are contaminated with a fungus called Cordyceps. When people eat pancakes […]