Society
Culture, traditions and belief systems arising out of the social relationships among a group of peopleHow Do You Discover a 17 Million Digit Prime Number?
The 48th Mersenne prime was recently discovered on the computer of a man named Dr. Curtis Cooper, and it's 17 million digits long
February 06, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
The Year’s Most Outstanding Science Visualizations
A juried competition honors photographs, illustrations, videos, posters, games and apps that marry art and science in an evocative way
February 05, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
Earthworms Could Make Climate Change Worse
While earthworms benefit soils, they do play a significant role in greenhouse gas emissions worldwide - though not nearly as great as humans, of course
February 05, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Fastest Way to Send Big Chunks of Data Is Through the Mail, Not the Internet
The future of Big Data is in the post
February 05, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
This Drone Can Fit In Your Palm
The Black Hornet currently rank as the world's smallest military-grade spy drone, weighing just 16 grams and measuring at 4 inches long
February 05, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
There’s No Such Thing as a Concussion-Proof Helmet
Essentially, if you put 15 inches of foam on the outside of the helmet, you can make a concussion free helmet. But that's completely impractical
February 04, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Why Did the Lights Go Out in the Superdome?
What actually caused the power outage in the 73,000 seat Superdome? Well, it's unclear
February 04, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
The Rise and Fall of Nikola Tesla and his Tower
The inventor's vision of a global wireless-transmission tower proved to be his undoing
February 04, 2013 |
By Gilbert King
This Computer Program Uses Old Headlines to Predict the Future
By analyzing old news, this artificial intelligence program can predict the future
February 04, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Don’t Get Duped: Six Foods That Might Not Be The Real Deal
Colored sawdust instead of saffron? Corn syrup instead of honey? It's all in the newly updated USP Food Fraud Database
February 04, 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
Searching for the Russian Loch Ness Monster in a Frozen Siberian Lake
In a record-breaking dive, the head of the Russian Geographical Society sunk to the bottom of Lake Labynkyr in Siberia, one of the coldest lakes in the world
February 04, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Strange Ball in a Strange Place: Watching the Super Bowl in Ecuador
America's Biggest Game brings excitement, curiosity and some boredom to Ecuador
February 04, 2013 |
By Alastair Bland
Grand Central Terminal Turns 100
The iconic New York building, which celebrates its 100th birthday this weekend, has a storied past
February 01, 2013 |
By Marina Koren
A Brief History of the Buffalo Chicken Wing
How the wing went from a throwaway to a delicacy in 50 years
February 01, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Primal Screens: How Pro Football Is Amping Up Its Game
Pro football is turning to screens--some massive, others on smart phones--to try to keep its fans entertained.
February 01, 2013 |
By Randy Rieland
Drone Couture: Designing Invisibility
While scientists work toward perfecting the invisibility cloak, one designer has already developed a line of clothing that makes people invisible...to robots
February 01, 2013 |
By Jimmy Stamp
Faces From Afar: Two Canadian Travelers Bring Love, Goodwill and Water Filters to the Needy
Give a man a glass of water, and you may quench his thirst. But teach him to build a water filter, as Rod and Ingrid McCarroll are doing, and he'll have clean water for life
February 01, 2013 |
By Alastair Bland
Why the Best Success Stories Often Begin With Failure
One writer’s unexpected bout of unemployment inspired him to catalogue the misadventures of those who came before him
February 2013 |
By Amy Crawford
CSI: Tennessee—Enter the World of Nuclear Forensics
Scientists are busy tracking the sources of stolen uranium in the hopes of deterring crime—and prevent the weapons getting into the wrong hands
February 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Most of What You Think You Know About Grammar Is Wrong
And ending sentences with a preposition is nothing worth worrying about
February 2013 |
By Patricia T. O’Conner and Stewart Kellarman
