Features on ZME Science

The Worm That Outsourced Locomotion to Its (Many) Butts

Ramisyllis multicaudata challenges the very idea of a body.

The unusual world of Roman Collegia — or how to start a company in Ancient Rome

Grassroots social and economic engines that brought even slaves into civic life.

For over 500 years, Oxford graduates pledged to hate Henry Symeonis. So, who is he?

It's one of the weirdest pledges you'll ever come across.

These companies want to make hand bags out of T-rex leather. But scientists aren't buying it

A lab-grown leather inspired by dinosaur skin sparks excitement—and scientific skepticism

9 Environmental Stories That Don't Get as Much Coverage as They Should

From whales to soil microbes, our planet’s living systems are fraying in silence.

The Haast's Eagle: The Largest Known Eagle Hunted Prey Fifteen Times Its Size

The extinct bird was so powerful it could kill a 400-pound animal with its talons.

Neanderthals Crafted Bone Spears 30,000 Years Before Modern Humans Came In

An 80,000-year-old spear point rewrites what we thought we knew about Neanderthals.

Climbing gyms are as polluted as busy city streets -- and shoes are to blame

Rubber particles from climbing shoes may expose gymgoers to levels of pollution found on city streets

Nature Built a Nuclear Reactor 2 Billion Years Ago — Here’s How It Worked

Billions of years ago, this uranium went a bit crazy.

We Know Sugar Is Bad for Your Teeth. What About Artificial Sweeteners?

You’ve heard it a thousand times: sugar is terrible for your teeth. It really is. But are artificial sweeteners actually any better? The short answer? Yes—artificial sweeteners don’t feed the bacteria that cause cavities. But here’s the twist: many of the sugar-free products they’re used in can still damage your teeth in a different way—through […]

The surprising reason why the UK has power surges because of TV programs

It's all because of tea.

How a suitcase-sized NASA device could map shrinking aquifers from space

Next‑gen gravity maps could help track groundwater, ice loss, and magma.

But they're not really dire wolves, are they?

and this isn't a conservation story

1809 map shows where all our favorite French foods came from

Everyone knows French cuisine is simply spectacular - and it has been for centuries.

The small town in Germany where both the car and the bicycle were invented

In the quiet German town of Mannheim, two radical inventions—the bicycle and the automobile—took their first wobbly rides and forever changed how the world moves.

“You have such a February face”: Shakespeare’s Most Savage Insults, Explained

William Shakespeare gave the English language more than just poetic sonnets and tragic deaths. He also gave us some of the most delightfully vicious insults ever spoken onstage. These weren’t your average insults. Each jab struck at the core of a character’s personality or the tension of a scene. Many were funny. Some were deadly […]

Jay Bhattacharya has a history of misinformation. He's about to head the NIH

Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford professor with no experience treating patients, is set to become the director of the NIH.

Pokémon Go Players Were Duped Into Training a Powerful AI Map of the Real World

While you thought you were training your Pikachu, you were actually training AI to see the world.

Trump’s Tariffs Just Made Everything More Expensive and Americans Are About to Feel It. Here's Exactly How

Trump's trade war will cost the average American household between $1,200 and $3,200 annually.

From Fika to Friluftsliv: Four Scandinavian Concepts that Will Make Your Life Happier and Healthier (and a Bonus)

Sweden’s “Lagom,” and Denmark’s “Hygge,” aren’t just trendy words — they’re philosophies that promote well-being and balance.

9 Nuts and Seeds That Boost Brain Power

You can't go wrong including these nuts and seeds into your diet for a healthier brain.

How an Ancient Plant Became the World’s First Birth Control and Rome's Love Potion. Then Went Extinct Because of It

This medicinal plant was so coveted, it was worth its weight in gold. But this ultimately brought its downfall.

A Scrabble Champion Won the Spanish World Title Without Speaking a Word of Spanish

What a legend!

Why People Believe in Pseudoscience—and Why It’s So Dangerous

We’re bombarded with pseudoscience every day—from social media conspiracy theories to politicians dismissing climate change with a snowball.

Governments Are Throwing Money at Declining Birth Rates But It’s Not Working

Governments worldwide are offering cash incentives and creative policies to boost birth rates, but declining fertility trends reveal deeper societal shifts — here's why their efforts are falling short and what it means for the future.

How To Solve Any Problem Using Enrico Fermi's Back-Of-The-Envelope Math (And Some Common Sense)

Estimate anything in the world with a napkin and a pen.

Sam Altman said it was "hopeless" for smaller AIs to compete with OpenAI. DeepSeek proved him wrong

It’s hard to overstate just how impactful DeepSeek has been. In a couple of days, it rattled the entire AI industry, shattering the aura of invincibility that OpenAI (and American tech companies in general) had built around themselves. DeepSeek’s new AI is the number one most downloaded free app on the Apple Store, and it’s […]

Fluoride in water doesn't affect brain development, another study finds

A study out of Australia finds, again, that fluoride in water is not linked to lower IQ.

Who Invented Russian Roulette? How a 1937 Short Story Sparked the Deadliest "Game" in Pop Culture

Russian Roulette is deadly game that likely spawned from a work of fiction.

The Rule of 72: The Simple Math Behind Doubling Your Money

This quick mental calculation can reveal the power of compounding interest.

Why Paris Is Leaving Cars Behind for Bikes

Paris has reinvented itself as a cyclist’s paradise, moving from car-dominated streets to a city crisscrossed by bike lanes.

The Futurama Theorem: The Math Behind a Mind-Swapping Episode

The Futurama Theorem is one of the most fascinating crossovers between academia and pop culture.

The Birthday Paradox: Why a Room of Only 23 Strangers Has a 50/50 Chance of a Shared Birthday

In a room of 23 people, the odds surprise us all.

Women Didn’t Live Longer Than Men in Medieval Times. Here's Why

Bones tell the story of gender and survival in Medieval London.

The pair of jeans that sent the chess world in turmoil

Magnus Carlsen wore jeans to a chess tournament. Now the entire sport is boiling over.

Not too hot, not too cold. What’s the ideal room temperature?

The eternal struggle between family members and co-workers.

For better or worse, machine learning is shaping biology research

Machine learning tools can increase the pace of biology research and open the door to new research questions, but the benefits don’t come without risks.

The Math Behind Why Mexico’s Cartel War is a Never-Ending Nightmare

Cartels are Mexico's fifth largest employer. They are recruiting faster than the government can arrest them.

Christmas myths: The Krampus, Santa's evil twin

Survive December 5, and you just might get some presents.

Real Vs Artificial Christmas Tree: What the science says

The Great Christmas Tree Debate: Real or Artificial — Which is Better for the Planet? The answer is not as clear-cut as you may think.

Saturnalia and Christmas -- how a Pagan Roman festival paved the way for modern Christmas

Wait, the Romans invented Christmas?

The Yule Cat: Forget Santa, Embrace the Dark Side of Icelandic Christmas

Not your average cat -- or your Christmas tradition.

The Bizarre History of Mad Honey: sweetener, psychedelic, weapon of war

Handle with care — this honey bites back!

Why Are Humans the Only Species to Cry Emotional Tears?

Darwin called them "purposeless", but emotional tears have their place.

Your Brain Has A Special Set of Neurons That Only Light Up for Music

Scientists have discovered unique neurons in the brain that respond only to music.

What's a Republic, anyway? Now is a good time to learn

Republican ideals have evolved over millennia, shaping governance across the globe. Modern republics continue to adapt, but face challenges in upholding their foundational principles.

Scientists Capture the X-ray Fingerprint of a Single Atom for the First Time — And This Could Change Everything

The achievement has potential implications from medicine to materials science.

The hands of great apes tell a story about our own evolution

Take a closer look at your hands—they carry millions of years of evolutionary history, connecting you to our closest primate relatives.

The incredible fishes that wander oceans with a transparent head

They're some of the most unusual creatures in the ocean.

10 "Living Fossils" That Have Survived Mass Extinctions And Have Barely Changed in Millions of Years

Most creatures on Earth evolve constantly but these have hardly changed after millions of years.

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