During the Cold War the United States dropped nearly 70 nuclear bombs on some tiny islands in the middle of the Pacific.
Millenials donate more to charity than previous generations, but less often
The “me, me, me generation” is not necessarily less charitable than the generations before it.
Elon Musk wants to test a device on humans that can wire your brain to the internet starting from 2020
In the future, installing Elon Musk brain-computer interface could be as easy laser eye surgery.
HIV sequencing from archived tissue suggests the virus crossed to humans in early 1900s
Scientists are getting closer to revealing the timeline of HIV evolution.
New studies explain why many more women than men are affected by Alzheimer’s
There are sex differences that may make women more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s.
Scientists discover new eagle-nosed, shovel-chinned dinosaur
A weird-looking new duck-billed dinosaur was found in Texas.
Human outposts on Mars could be sheltered by a thin layer of ‘frozen smoke’
Scientists envision using a very thin material to build a huge greenhouse on Mars.
Zebrafish help scientists unravel the origins of sleep
Tiny sleepy fish sleep remarkably similar to humans.
New nanodevice converts wasted heat into more battery life
A clever device runs at the fringe of physics to solve our wasted energy problems.
Shocking images of a python devouring a crocodile whole in Australia
Nature is lit!
Snowball the cockatoo invents his own groovy dancing, showing that it is not a unique human construct
An adorable cockatoo that stole our hearts is revealing new insights about the origin and role of dancing.
The Earth has room for a trillion more trees — which might be our best bet against climate change
A new study shows that there’s still plenty of room for almost a billion hectares of forest.
Scientists modify plant mitochondrial DNA for the first time
This is huge news for the biotech industry.
‘Smart’ glass recognizes numbers without the need for sensors or even electrical power
Scientists have devised a novel system that can recognize visual objects by bending light.
What makes a good excuse: a philosopher’s take
We all make excuses, so might as well learn how to do them properly.
Scientists explore the origin of metabolism to reveal secrets of primordial life
To become successful, life had to find a way to turn food from the environment into energy.
8 bird species have disappeared this decade or are on the brink of extinction
This includes the Spix’s Macaw, the lovely birds which inspired the main characters in Rio.
Toddlers prefer high-status winners — but avoid bullies who win by force
This may be a core property of human nature.
AI draws amazing caricatures from photos
Is there any job that an AI can’t do?
Ancient Neanderthal genomes reveal surprising twist in their settling of Europe
DNA analysis reveals fresh details about how Neanderthals moved across Europe and Asia.
