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New York Decides Shooting Snowy Owls Is Not the Best Choice, After All

Snowy owls may congregate at airports because snowy tarmacs resemble the animals’ natural habitat, the Arctic tundra

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Is the World Empty? Or Overcrowded? It’s Both

This interactive map takes you to the world’s densest and most remote locales

Music Great Carlos Santana signs a condolence book for Nelson Mandela on Dec. 6 at the National Museum of African Art.

Join Carlos Santana, Thousands of Others in Remembering Nelson Mandela at African Art

Visitors to Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art can sign a condolence book in honor of Mandela

Inventing the Perfect Umbrella

Will a Japanese designer’s new take on umbrellas catch on where others have failed?

VIDEO: The CIA Trained These Animals to Spy for Them

The government agency used birds, cats and even dolphins to help them on covert operations

Sharks Can Sense When Your Back Is Turned

New research suggests that sharks can sense where you can’t see, and will approach just outside your field of vision

By Painting Their Markings, This Scientist Disrupted Birds’ Social Structure

A few lines of black paint was all it took to destroy these Pūkekos’ social standing

Drivers Are More Likely to Brake at Yellow Lights If They’ve Just Seen a Depressing Billboard

After seeing positive or neutral ads before a yellow light, drivers were more likely to run it. But after negative ads, they were more likely to break

This is how many days I have left.

Can This App Predict Your Death?

When are you going to die? You probably don’t know the answer to that question - but if you download this app you could find out. Sort of

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How the Language of Dance and Movement Transcends Cultures

The award-winning choreographer and Lion King dancer talks about his plans for a new work celebrating Omani and East African cultures

Two BlizzCon attendees dress up as Blood Elves, a race from the World of Warcraft.

The NSA Was Spying in World of Warcraft

And in Second Life

A closeup of one of the rocks, with a patch of dust brushed away by Curiosity's instruments, that provides evidence of an ancient lake.

Curiosity Found Evidence of An Ancient Freshwater Lake on Mars

Drilling into Martian rock revealed that it formed at the bottom of a calm lake that may have had the right conditions for sustaining life

A Google Doodle That Honors Computer Programmer Grace Hopper

Hopper was a U.S. Navy Rear Admiral, and in 1959 she helped create COBOL—a program that the military and banks still use today

The first ransom notes come from an 1874 kidnapping.

The Story Behind the First Ransom Note in American History

Last year, a school librarian was looking through family artifacts when she stumbled upon the first ransom note in American history

The Northern Hemisphere's mid-latitudes have experienced many heat waves in recent years, such as one that fueled Rocky Mountain wildfires in summer 2012. Warmer-than-normal temperatures appear red in this NASA image of North America on June 28, 2012.

Summer Heat Waves May Be Linked To Sea Ice Loss

As ice melts, the jet stream gets stuck in the north, causing warm weather to linger in the south—but the reason why this occurs remains unknown

The Best Gifts to Give to the Science Geek in Your Life

A roundup of unique science gifts, from molecular gastronomy kits to mitosis-inspired silk scarves

What is the Trick to Making the Most Waterproof Stuff on Earth?

It’s all in the texture. An MIT-led team of mechanical engineers is creating a super water-resistant material inspired by the wings of butterflies

You Can Be Really Good at Certain Skills Without Having Any Idea How They Work

How well do you know the tools you use every day?

The Best Gifts to Give to the Foodie in Your Life

An offering of flavorings, kits and handy gadgets for the food enthusiast on your gift list

A more Earthly Mordor.

Which U.S. City Most Resembles Mordor? A British Climate Scientist Found Out

Mordor is basically Los Angeles

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