New Research
Science Is Still Unclear About the Evolutionary Origin of the Anus
A newly published scientific review attempts to “get to the bottom” of how animals acquired what some might call the most indecent part of the body
Slime Mold Has an Uncannily Accurate Sense of Where Rome Built Its Roads
The strange organisms are remarkably good at mapping the most efficient route from place to place—and that's exactly what roads do
Did the Age of Humans Begin in 1610?
Debate over when the Anthropocene began is starting to narrow in on a few dates — 1610, when the Old World met the New, is one promising candidate
Now the Turing Test Goes Visual
A proposed test would have computer programs not only pick out what is in a photo but what is happening
Adorable Monkey New to Science Identified in Threatened Rainforest
Researchers in the Brazilian rainforest describe a previously undocumented species of titi monkey whose habitat faces man-made threats
Neanderthal Jewelry Is Just as Fiercely Cool as You'd Imagine
A re-examination of a cave find indicates that the early human species sported eagle talons like some kind of prehistoric punk rockers
A Hint That a Saturnian Moon Could Have Hydrothermal Vents—And Support Life
Grains of silica from Saturn’s magnetosphere likely came from Enceladus and may mean the moon has hydrothermal vents
Scary Lobster-Like Fossil Was Once One of the Earth's Largest Animals
One of the earliest arthropods was giant, weird-looking—and played a big role in the course of evolutionary history
We Now Have a Toll of All the Whales Killed by Hunting in the Last Century
The whaling industry killed nearly 3 million for their oil, researchers estimate. But the true total is likely higher.
The Desire to Conform Starts In Toddlers
Apes don’t have this problem — if they know the answer to a puzzle, they’ll do it, regardless of what their friends might think
1,800 Studies Later, Scientists Conclude Homeopathy Doesn’t Work
A major Australian study debunks homeopathy—again
The Galaxy May Be Way Bigger Than We Thought
New data analysis suggests that the Milky Way may be 50-percent larger than previously believed
How the Sugar Industry Influenced Dental Research
Newly uncovered “sugar papers” reveal that the sugar lobby played a major role in 1970s dental public health policies
We Finally Know How Chameleons Change Their Color
Chameleons' secret involves tiny crystals under their skin
Water Drops Leap Off Gecko Skin Thanks to Tiny Spines
Specialized hydrophobic structures on gecko skin encourage dewdrops to be swept away by the wind or to collide and shoot off one another like pool balls
One of the Oldest Known Animals Is This Tiny, Ancient Sponge
A new fossil find pushes back the start of the evolution of multicellular animals
London’s Congestion Pricing Plan Is Saving Lives
By charging $17.34 for a trip downtown during peak hours, London has reduced traffic fatalities by 40 percent
Saving the World’s Oldest Mummies From Rot in a Warmer, Wetter World
Why are the ancient bodies of the Chinchorro people stored in a Chilean museum rapidly degrading into black ooze?
The Loud Noise of Melting Glaciers May Actually Be Good for Animals
Melting glacier ice has been found to the loudest noise in the ocean—what does that mean for marine animals?
Here’s What Music Specially Composed for Your Cat Sounds Like
Research shows that cats prefer “species-specific” with frequencies and tempos that mimic the sounds of purring and birds
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