Thank gluten’s complex chemistry for your light, fluffy baked goods

Gluten is in a variety of breads and baked goods − it helps them rise and gives bread its characteristic texture. Adam Gault/OJO Images via Getty Images Kristine Nolin, University of Richmond Within the bread, rolls and baked goods on many tables this holiday season is an extraordinary substance – gluten. Gluten’s unique chemistry makes […]



Thanksgiving sides are delicious and can be nutritious − here’s the biochemistry of how to maximize the benefits

Side dishes made with colorful vegetables are a holiday staple for many. VeselovaElena/iStock via Getty Images Julie Pollock, University of Richmond While people usually think first about the turkey or the ham during holiday meals, the sides are what help balance your plate. Colorful vegetables like green beans, collard greens, roasted carrots and mashed sweet […]

Immune health is all about balance – an immunologist explains why both too strong and too weak an immune response can lead to illness

When immune cells become overactive, your immune system itself can cause disease. NIAID/Flickr, CC BY-SA Aimee Pugh Bernard, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus For immune health, some influencers seem to think the Goldilocks philosophy of “just right” is overrated. Why settle for less immunity when you can have more? Many social media posts push […]



What really killed the dinosaurs? (It wasn’t just the asteroid) [Science Video]

Sixty-six million years ago, near what’s now the Yucatán Peninsula, a juvenile sauropod feasted on horsetail plants on a riverbank. Earth was a tropical planet. Behemoth and tiny dinosaurs alike soared its skies and roamed its lands while reptiles and tentacled ammonites swept its seas. But, in an instant, everything would change. Dig into what […]

Is Vaping Worse Than Smoking? [Science Video]

Vaping has become the go-to nicotine delivery method for many young people. But is it really a safer alternative to traditional smoking, or is it potentially more harmful? With vaping being less regulated than smoking, and concerning reports of unexpected health issues among teenagers, it’s vital to understand the risks associated with these popular devices. […]

Is time travel even possible? An astrophysicist explains the science behind the science fiction

If traveling into the past is possible, one way to do it might be sending people through tunnels in space. by raggio5 via Pixabay Adi Foord, University of Maryland, Baltimore County 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 […]

Insulin injections could one day be replaced with rock music − new research in mice

Turns out pop songs and movie soundtracks are key to a new system to deliver insulin. Sammyvision/Moment via Getty Images Bill Sullivan, Indiana University More than 37 million people in the U.S. have diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, 8.4 million Americans needed to take insulin in 2022 to lower their blood sugar. Insulin, […]

Conch Snails Have Googly Cartoonish Eyes [Videos]

Have you ever seen the eyes of a conch snail? Behold: The eyes of a conchhttps://t.co/N9rEQsOE2m — Science girl (@gunsnrosesgirl3) November 11, 2023 View this post on Instagram A post shared by LAWRENCE SCHEELE (@snorkeldownunder) From The Right Blue: Conch shells, like all seashells, are created by secretions from the mantle of the snail that […]

Your mental dictionary is part of what makes you unique − here’s how your brain stores and retrieves words

Your brain processes letters, words, sounds, semantics and grammar at breakneck speed. StudioM1/iStock via Getty Images Plus Nichol Castro, University at Buffalo The days of having a dictionary on your bookshelf are numbered. But that’s OK, because everyone already walks around with a dictionary – not the one on your phone, but the one in […]

Physicist Answers Physics Questions From The Internet

From Wired: Physicist Jeffrey Hazboun visits WIRED to answer the internet’s swirling questions about physics. How does one split an atom? Is light a wave or a particle…or both? How soon will the universe end? Is time travel is possible given physicists’ current understanding? What’s the deal with string theory? [Wired]