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Science

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

Scientists had to use a remotely operated vehicle to retrieve temperature sensors from a borehole drilled into the Japan Trench, 6,900 meters below the surface of the Pacific Ocean.

Fault That Caused Japan’s 2011 Earthquake Is Thin and Slippery

A group of scientists drilled miles beneath the Pacific Ocean, uncovering conditions that made the Tohoku-Oki earthquake and tsunami so devastating

Art Meets Science

The Art and Science of Growing Snowflakes in a Lab

Physicist Kenneth Libbrecht can make snowflakes with elegant spindles or blocky tabs by manipulating temperature and humidity

One of the ancient human fossils found in Spain's La Sima de los Huesos.

Scientists Just Sequenced the DNA From A 400,000-Year-Old Early Human

The fossil, found in Spain, is mysteriously related to an ancient group of homonins called the Denisovans, previously found only in Siberia

Dazzle camouflage distorts perception by pairing contrasting patterns.

Predators May Use a Bit of the Old Razzle Dazzle to Snag Prey

The bright colors and harsh angles of dazzle camouflage confounds locusts, suggesting that predators who sport the abstract patterns can hunt more easily

A friendly label, instead of a threatening warning, might cut down on the vandalization and theft of scientific instruments.

How Do You Protect Scientific Equipment From Vandals? With A Friendly Warning

A friendly label, instead of a threatening warning, might cut down on the vandalization and theft of scientific instruments

A row of servers, housed in an Iceland data center.

Is the Future of the Internet in Iceland?

With free air cooling and 100 percent renewable electricity, does it make sense to outsource our data to Iceland?

Ask Smithsonian 2017

Where Do Humans Really Rank on the Food Chain?

We’re not at the top, but towards the middle, at a level similar to pigs and anchovies

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The Serene Beauty of Horses in the Womb

Photographer Tim Flach sees similarities between baby equines and humans

The Toxins That Affected Your Great-Grandparents Could Be In Your Genes

Biologist Michael Skinner has enraged the chemical community and shocked his peers with his breakthrough research

Electronics That Can Melt in Your Body Could Change the World of Medicine

John Rogers, a revolutionary materials scientist, is pushing the boundaries of the medical world

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The Freshman at MIT Who is Revolutionizing Nanotechnology

Teenager Saumil Bandyopadhyay has harnessed cutting-edge physics to upend industries ranging from automobiles to astronomy

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The Brilliance Behind the Plan to Land Curiosity on Mars

Adam Steltzner’s ingenious ideas were crucial to the most spectacular space mission of our time

Purple loosestrife, which is blooming 24 days earlier than it did a century ago, poses a serious threat to wetland habitats.

How Climate Change is Helping Invasive Species Take Over

Longer seasons and warmer weather have combined to be a game-changer in the plant wars

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Why Brain Size Doesn’t Correlate With Intelligence

We can nurture growth, but never really control it

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This Could Be the Oldest Flowering Plant Ever Found in North America

A new look at Smithsonian’s fossil collection turned up a remarkably ancient flowering plant—scientists think it’s at least 115 million years old

Resurrection Bay, Alaska (1939), by Rockwell Kent

Art Meets Science

Art Chronicles Glaciers As They Disappear

The Whatcom Museum in Bellingham, Washington, is exhibiting 75 works of art pulled from the past two centuries—all themed around ice

Can This Water-Recycling Shower Save $1,000 in Bills?

A Swedish industrial designer hopes his unique filtration system is the answer for rising water costs

One species ant can build floating rafts (above), resilient bridges and temporary shelters using nothing but their own bodies.

Watch Fire Ants Use Their Bodies To Form Living Architecture

One species of ant can build floating rafts, resilient bridges and temporary shelters using nothing but their own bodies

It’s time to give thanks for your taste buds.

10 Things We’ve Learned About Taste

Do following rituals before a meal make the food taste better? What about the ambience of the room in which you’re eating it?

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