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Shortly after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill, dolphins were observed swimming through an oil slick. Their exposure to petroleum fumes may have wrought serious consequences.

New Research

Research Confirms Fears that Deepwater Horizon Spill Contributed to Dolphin Deaths

Dead bottlenose dolphins stranded in the Gulf of Mexico had lesions linked to petroleum exposure

Evidence from reindeer combs, like the one above, hints that the Vikings may have traded with Denmark before they started raiding England.

Vikings Didn’t Just Raid, They Traded Too

Reindeer artifacts found at Medieval market sites suggest the famed raiders tried the merchant thing first

The "South Pacific Ocean Uninhabited Area" or spacecraft cemetery, as it's affectionately dubbed, is located in the middle of nowhere, thousands of miles off the coast of New Zealand.

There’s a Spacecraft Cemetery in the Pacific

The middle of the Pacfic Ocean is one of the two places spacecrafts are laid to rest

Murray's bagels in New York City.

How Chemistry Gives New York City Bagels an Edge

Is it really all in the water?

Cool Finds

There’s a Hospital for Statues in Argentina

When the going gets tough for Buenos Aires statues, they head to a statue-only hospital for a bit of TLC

A map highlights the most common unique cause of death in each state

Cool Finds

Texans Die of Tuberculosis and Other Insights From the CDC’s Distinctive Death Map

The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention compiled a list of the most common unusual deaths in every state

New Research

When People Want an Upgrade They Tend to Break and Lose Their Old Gadgets

Researchers call it the “Must-Have Effect”

A worker puts finishing paint touches on the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory in January

Cool Finds

This New Tower Gives Scientists a Bird’s Eye View of the Amazon

It pairs with a similar tower in Siberia to observe changes in the Earth’s atmosphere

Cool Finds

Jerusalem is Running Out of Room for the Dead

A new project looks to save space by building modern catacombs

Trending Today

21,000 Gallons of Oil Just Spilled Near Santa Barbara

An underwater pipeline was the culprit for a crude oil spill in the Pacific

Detail from The herball, or, Generall historie of plantes gathered by John Gerarde, purportedly depicting Shakespeare.

Trending Today

Is This a Portrait of Shakespeare? One Historian Says Yes, Many Say No

Many experts doubt whether the engraving found in a 400-year old book is actually the Bard himself

Saurornitholestes sullivani attacks a subadult hadrosaur Parasaurolophus tubicen

New Research

Meet Your New Favorite Dinosaur: The Velociraptor’s Cousin

A keen sense of smell gave this dino an edge

Cool Finds

A Malaysian Farm is Playing Classical Music to its Chickens

Drug-free chickens roam in a barn filled with tunes from Mozart

Baker's or brewer's yeast, like the sample pictured above, could one day be used for more efficient opiate production.

Engineered Yeast Could Open up a DIY Painkiller Market

The modified microbes could also make cheaper and better opiates

The Atlas V rocket launches the X-37B on a 2012 mission. The craft will launch again Wednesday from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Trending Today

A Mysterious Space Plane Will Launch This Week

Though much of the X-37B’s mission is top secret, details are emerging about experiments that will go into orbit with the unmanned craft

New Research

Will Your Doctor One Day Pay You?

New research shows that incentive-based health programs really do work

New Research

These Scientists Want to Unleash an Army of Caterpillars to Destroy Cocaine Crops

Colombian scientists say the insect could replace cocaine-killing herbicides.

A spider prepares to "balloon" by shooting a threat of silk out of its butt. By catching the wind with their silk, baby spiders can explore or colonize new habitats. When millions of spiders do this at the same time, it resembles rain or snow.

No, It’s Not Really Raining Spiders in Australia

The arachnids are simply catching a ride on the wind

New Research

Postal Workers Are Bitten By Dogs Nearly 6,000 Times Per Year

Los Angeles, Houston lead the list of cities with the most dog attacks

New Research

Asteroid Impacts Once Made the Earth’s Oceans Boil for A Whole Year

Life had it rough back then

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