Explore the wonders of science with the latest discoveries, innovations, and research. Stay informed on space, physics, biology, and groundbreaking advancements!
Key Takeaways on Placental Mammals Placental mammals have a placenta, an organ that develops during gestation and bridges mother and fetus. The placenta provides nutrients to the fetus to develop in the womb, protecting the baby from the outside world until they are fully developed. While we don’t know the first placental mammal for sure…
Key Takeaways on Living Fossils The most famous living fossil lis a fish called the coelacanth. It was once thought to be extinct. However, the fish hasn’t changed in over 400 million years. Charles Darwin coined the term “living fossil” in his book On the Origin of Species. The idea and classification of living fossils…
What was it like to live in ancient Egypt during an era of sweeping change? Although we can’t put ourselves in the shoes of ancient Egyptians, we at least know how one of them may have lived now that a whole genome from ancient Egypt has been sequenced for the first time. A study recently…
If you’ve ever struggled to keep up in spin class or wondered why sprint training feels extra brutal, you might be right to blame it on your genes — or more precisely, your ancient cousins’ genes. A new study by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, the Okinawa Institute of Science and…
Key Takeaways on Tear Gas Tear gas is a chemical weapon also known as “demonstration control agents” (DCAs). It’s designed to disperse large crowds, typically in outdoor settings. Tear gas contains lachrymatory agents, including CS (2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile), CN (chloroacetophenone), and CR (dibenzoxazepine). DCAs work by activating a person’s nociceptive nerve fibers. Immediately, a person will feel…
Roughly 14 billion years ago, a tiny pinpoint of extreme heat and density erupted in a grand explosion, leading to the creation of between 100 billion and 2 trillion galaxies, one of them being our home planet. Researchers estimate the age of the Universe using a variety of cosmological parameters, including tracking distant light, observing…
We’ve all seen the online videos of dogs barking at, chasing, or otherwise intently watching something as it flits across a TV screen. And it’s not just our favorite programs or cartoons that some dogs will watch. Dog-specific TV programs are on the rise, intentionally addressing our four-legged friends’ interests, at least among those who…
For astronauts to survive on the moon, they’ll need three essential resources: water, oxygen, and fuel. These resources have been an integral part of plans to build permanent moon bases, which have been brewing for years. Life on the moon may be within reach before long, thanks to new technology that can extract water from…
There’s still a long list of things that separate robots and living beings, but a new study suggests that the list has become just a bit shorter. Developing robots that “grow,” “heal,” and adapt their bodies to their surroundings, researchers from Columbia University have demonstrated that robots can become bigger and better by “consuming” other…
Most of us wouldn’t consider the Middle Ages the epitome of medical sophistication, thanks to our perception of their barbaric and (from a modern perspective) ridiculous strategies for helping the ill. But against all prejudices, medieval medicine was actually more advanced and science-based than we might think. A team of researchers from the State University…
