Short winter days can influence your brain chemistry. Schon/Moment via Getty Images Michael Varnum, Arizona State University and Ian Hohm, University of British Columbia What comes to mind when you think about winter? Snowflakes? Mittens? Reindeer? In much of the Northern Hemisphere, winter means colder temperatures, shorter days and year-end holidays. Along with these changes, […]
Brewers today are delivering nonalcoholic beers that are a far cry from the sweet, watery options of the past. Pramote Polyamate/Moment via Getty Images Clark Danderson, Auburn University The holiday season for me includes socializing over drinks with friends and family. But all the celebrating tends to catch up with my waistline, and by New […]
Got some tattoos? Did you know that when you have them done, tattoos kickstart an epic drama within, featuring millions of deaths and heroic sacrifices, with your immune system stepping in to protect you from yourself. Find out more about what tattoos do to your immune system in this video from Kurzgesagt. [Kurzgesagt – In […]
Since humanity’s earliest days, we’ve been plagued by countless disease-causing pathogens. Invisible and persistent, these microorganisms and the illnesses they incur have killed more humans than anything else in history. But which disease has been the deadliest? Dan Kwartler digs into how human progress and innovation throughout history exposed us to surprising new maladies. [TED […]
Mike Sori, Purdue University Uranus, the seventh planet from the Sun, orbits in the outer solar system, about two billion miles (3.2 billion kilometers) from Earth. It is an enormous world – quadruple the diameter of Earth, with 15 times the mass and 63 times the volume. Unvisited by spacecraft for more than 35 years, […]
The science or real-life superpowers in animals and insects by the always amusing Ze Frank. Enjoy! [Ze Frank]
The Earth’s magnetic field deflects particles emitted by the Sun. Mark Garlick/Science Photo Library via Getty Images Ofer Cohen, UMass Lowell The Earth’s magnetic field plays a big role in protecting people from hazardous radiation and geomagnetic activity that could affect satellite communication and the operation of power grids. And it moves. Scientists have studied […]
Surface proteins on a virus enable it to attach to and get inside a cell to start replicating. koto_feja/E+ via Getty Images Peter Kasson, University of Virginia COVID-19, flu, mpox, noroviral diarrhea: How do the viruses that cause these diseases actually infect you? Viruses cannot replicate on their own, so they must infect cells in […]
Forensic anthropologists can be called in when human remains are discovered. Ashley Cooper/The Image Bank via Getty Images Madeline Atwell, Clemson University and Katherine Weisensee, Clemson University A seasoned deer hunter is shocked when his hound dog trots up with a human femur clenched between its teeth. A woman veers off her normal urban walking […]
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 […]