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Science / Human Behavior

Google hosts its fourth-annual science fair. Shown here, the 2013 winners.

Google Thinks These 18 Teenagers Will Change the World

The global finalists of this year’s Google Science Fair take on cyberbullying countermeasures, tar sands cleanup and wearable tech

Skulls of the genus Homo, including two from Homo erectus on the right

New Research

Ability to Adapt Gave Early Humans the Edge Over Other Hominins

Features thought to be characteristic of early Homo lineages actually evolved before Homo arose. Rather, our flexible nature defines us

14 Fun Facts About Fireworks

Number three: Fireworks are just chemical reactions

This guy is definitely spending too much time waiting for his flight.

If You’ve Never Missed a Flight, You’re Probably Wasting Your Time

Do you find yourself spending endless hours waiting at the airport? Here’s what math says about the perfect time to arrive for your next flight

Hurricane Irene caused destruction throughout the Caribbean and along the U.S. East Coast, killing more than 50 people in late August 2011.

New Research

Our Gender Biases May Be Making Hurricanes With Female Names More Deadly

Even without Katrina and Audrey, storms with feminine monikers have killed more people than those with masculine names

Diver Susan Bird works at the bottom of Hoyo Negro, a large dome-shaped underwater cave on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. She carefully brushes the human skull found at the site while her team members take detailed photographs.

New Research

DNA From 12,000-Year-Old Skeleton Helps Answer the Question: Who Were the First Americans?

In 2007, cave divers discovered remains that form the oldest, most complete and genetically intact human skeleton in the New World

10 Things Science Says About Being A Mom In 2014

Among them: she usually underestimates the height of her youngest child and her diet when she conceives could change her offspring’s DNA.

What future will our children inherit?

New Poll Reveals Americans’ Predictions of the Future

What are they most fearful of? What are they most optimistic about?

What Emotion Goes Viral the Fastest?

On Twitter and Facebook, which spreads quickest: joy, sadness or disgust?

New Research

Why Google Flu Trends Can’t Track the Flu (Yet)

The vaunted big data project falls victim to periodic tweaks in Google’s own search algorithms

Russia and Alaska's current coastlines (the dashed black lines), compared to ancient Beringia (shown in green), the land bridge that brought humans to North America.

New Research

Ancient Migration Patterns to North America Are Hidden in Languages Spoken Today

Languages spoken in North America and Siberia are distantly related. What does that tell us about the first Americans?

Marilyn Monroe performs at a USO show in 1954.

New Research

Science Explores Our Magical Belief in the Power of Celebrity

People will pay more for memorabilia, a study finds, simply if they believe a celebrity touched it

How Did Computers Uncover J.K. Rowling’s Pseudonym?

Forensic linguistics can use powerful programs to track written text back to its author

Everybody in Almost Every Language Says “Huh”? HUH?!

What makes this utterance the “universal word”?

In comparison to this cell, those used for solitary confinement often lack even a barred doorway, further limiting exposure to others.

The Science of Solitary Confinement

Research tells us that isolation is an ineffective rehabilitation strategy and leaves lasting psychological damage

The New York Stock Exchange trading floor in 1963.

New Research

How Stress Hormones Impact the Behavior of Investors

Cortisol, a natural hormone, has been found to rise during times of market volatility and make people more risk-averse

Winter Olympics

Can a Statistical Model Accurately Predict Olympic Medal Counts?

Data miners have developed models that predict countries’ medal counts by looking solely at stats like latitude and GDP

Super Bowl

The Science of the First Cold Weather Super Bowl

Science shows that the cold weather will make it harder for players to grip the ball, avoid slipping and hear each other over the roar of the crowd

The Science Is Clear: Don’t Text and Walk

Being distracted by texting makes people walk more slowly and crookedly, and they are more likely to be hit by cars

A Book’s Vocabulary Is Different If It Was Written During Hard Economic Times

Books published just after recessions have higher levels of literary misery, a new study finds

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