Society
Culture, traditions and belief systems arising out of the social relationships among a group of people
Video: Tiny Artificial Muscles Dance Like Mexican Jumping Beans
MIT scientists have created thin polymer sheets that expand and contract when in contact with water, lifting several times their weight
January 10, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
How Hot is That Pepper? How Scientists Measure Spiciness
How does the Scoville Scale rate the relative spiciness of a chili pepper?
January 10, 2013 |
By Twilight Greenaway
The Gadgets of the Future From the Electrical Shows of Yesterday
Decades before the debut of the Consumer Electronics Show, early adopters flocked to extravagant high-tech fairs in New York and Chicago
January 10, 2013 |
By Matt Novak
No Place Compares to the Unrelenting Lifelessness of Peru’s Sechura Desert
From the lush, tropical mountains, we descended into a landscape of flailing-armed cacti, spiny succulents like giant artichokes and sand dunes as high as mountains
January 10, 2013 |
By Alastair Bland
Stop Judging Jack Lew’s ‘Ridiculous’ Signature
Above, you can see signature of Jacob J. Lew, reportedly the top candidate to be the country’s new Treasury secretary. This scribble—a slinky? a bit of fuzz? a doodle of a caterpillar?—may be printed on every single new dollar bill. The signature is causing no shortage of judgment from media outlets like The New York Times [...]
January 10, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Tide’s a Smart Product to Steal Even If You’re Not Addicted to Drugs
It's a criminal strategy that comes with low risks and high rewards.
January 09, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Novice’s Guide to Venturing Into the World of Craft Beer
From food pairings to the best brews for beginners, Dan Koester presents a comprehensive guide to craft beer
January 09, 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
Your Phone Could Make You Into a Thunderstorm Predicting Machine
Some Android phones have barometers, and scientists want to use your observations to predict the weather
January 08, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
President Obama’s Autopen: When is an Autograph Not an Autograph?
When the President signed the fiscal cliff deal from 4,800 miles away, he did it with the help of a device that dates back to Thomas Jefferson
January 08, 2013 |
By Jimmy Stamp
You Can Now Buy Space Shuttle Launch Facilities
Haven't you always wanted to own a launch pad?
January 08, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
The Candor and Lies of Nazi Officer Albert Speer
The minister of armaments was happy to tell his captors about the war machine he had built. But it was a different story when he was asked about the Holocaust
January 08, 2013 |
By Gilbert King
Turn Your Dead Christmas Tree Into Beer
Rather than tossing your tree, turn it into spruce beer
January 07, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Sushi Restaurateur Spends $1.76 Million on a Single Bluefin Tuna
A bluefin tuna goes for $3,599 per pound
January 07, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
From the Slums of Lima to the Peaks of the Andes
After unpacking and assembling his bicycle at the airport terminal, the author heads north on the Pan-American Highway toward the mountain town of Canta
January 07, 2013 |
By Alastair Bland
When Machines See
Giving computers vision, through pattern recognition algorithms, could one day make them better than doctors at spotting tumors and other health problems.
January 07, 2013 |
By Randy Rieland
Congratulations, You Accidentally Wrote a Book Last Year
People wrote more than 40,000 words on average last year... in email
January 04, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Old Christmas Trees Can Be Used to Clean Medical Equipment
Someday those pesky fallen needles may help save lives—or at least sterilize needles for annual flu shots
January 04, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Photo of the Week: Adelie Penguins Take the Plunge
Photo contest contestant Lois Summers captured these penguins mid-dive off the Antarctic Peninsula
January 04, 2013 |
By Lois Summers
Top 10 Things You Didn’t Know About San Francisco’s Cable Cars
Ever since they became a part of the city’s transit system, they have been iconic mainstays of its cityscape
January 04, 2013 |
By Jeff Greenwald
Photo of the Week: A Quick Nap, Myanmar
A beautiful image by photo contest contestant Kyaw Zaw Lay captures a sleepy young monk
January 04, 2013 |
By Lois Summers
