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Mercury's Munch crater, as viewed by the MESSENGER probe.

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The Messenger Probe Will Soon Crash Into Mercury

As NASA’s probe runs out of propellant, it will crash into the planet’s surface at 8,750 MPH

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Why Syria’s Protecting Seeds From Its War

When civil war broke out in Syria, scientists saved more than 80 percent of a priceless trove of seeds

Cool Finds

Droves of Elegant Blue Jellies Wash Up on Pacific Shores

Unusually strong winds have pushed Velella velellas, or “by-the-wind sailors,” onto West Coast beaches by the thousands

Cool Finds

This Man Plans to Spend a Year Living in a Giant Ball on an Iceberg

Adventurer Alex Bellini wants to watch a Greenland iceberg melt while he dwells in a “survival pod”

Borneo orangutan

New Research

Learn the Secrets of Ape’s Sleeping Habits

Apes sleep better and longer than other primates

A fairy circle in the Namibian desert — one of many large patches of barren earth ringed by short grass

New Research

Mysterious “Fairy” Circles Share Qualities With Human Skin

Researchers noticed that the pattern of Namibia’s “fairy” circles strongly resembles that of skin cell growth

Cool Finds

“Look Ma, No Hands!” A Rock Climber Scales Cliffs Without Using His Hands

Famous British rock climber Johnny Dawes puts a twist on his sport

Hibernating dormouse

Cool Finds

Scientists Are Trying to Figure Out If Humans Can Hibernate

Studies of hibernators and experiments inducing short-term torpor in humans may answer whether human hibernation is possible

Trending Today

Better HIV Prevention Could Be Leading to Higher Syphilis Rates

Syphilis rates increased by 13 percent between 2012 and 2013

New Research

What If Job Interviews Were Automated?

New study shows that computers can predict how applicants will do at interviews

Cool Finds

Putting Hummingbirds to the Test

One hummingbird, 20 MPH wind, 1000 frames per second

Cool Finds

Scientists Take a Crack at Explaining That Knuckle-Popping Noise

A new study takes a closer look to explain the mechanism behind the sound when we crack our joints

A blue whale surfacing in the Gulf of St. Lawrence

Cool Finds

Maybe the World’s Loneliest Whale Isn’t So Isolated, After All

Some evidence indicates that the singer of a higher-pitched whale song may not be alone

Cool Finds

Female Chimps More Likely Than Males to Hunt With Tools

A new study investigates the social and hunting behaviors of Fongoli chimpanzees

New Research

Painkillers Might Also Dull Your Emotions

A study shows Tylenol could affect emotional evaluations, but judging the meaning of that finding is tough

Trending Today

Cuba Could Be Removed From the List of Places That Sponsor Terrorism

The U.S. has considered Cuba a sponsor of terrorism since 1982. On Tuesday, President Obama announced plans to change that designation.

New Research

Forget Fake Meat…How About Fake Milk?

Move over, soy—a group of bio-hackers is trying to turn snippets of DNA into milk-producing yeast

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, shown here at its launch Tuesday, is expected to successfully deliver the Dragon spacecraft's payload to the International Space Station, but the rocket again failed to touch down at a free-floating pad in the ocean.

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SpaceX Didn’t Land Its Rocket

The third time was not a charm for the Falcon 9

Cool Finds

These Magic Toothbrushes Work Without Toothpaste

A new brush—and an old one, too—that don’t rely on possibly harmful pastes to make your smile shine

Watercolor illustration of a pony express rider

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The Pony Express Was Short-Lived And Costly

The service only lasted 18 months, but became an important icon of the West

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