Smart News

Cool Finds

Flatten Out the Moons and Planets, And You Can See Just How Big Earth Actually Is

Comparing their surface areas side-by-side gives a sense of scale to some of the solar system’s inhabitants

July 2, 2014

Washington, D.C.

The Colosseum Was a Housing Complex in Medieval Times

Recent archeological digs have found that people lived in the Colosseum during the medieval era

July 2, 2014

Trending Today

Here Comes Hurricane Arthur—the First Storm of the Season

Hurricane Arthur won’t be particularly strong, but a storm on Independence Day isn’t great news

July 2, 2014

Trending Today

Sell an Oscar, Get Sued

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences takes the sanctity of its golden trophies very seriously

July 2, 2014

New Research

Malaria Parasites Might Make Their Infected Hosts Smell Tastier for Mosquitoes

So far, the finding has only been shown in mice

July 2, 2014

New Research

What Scientists Thought Was a Single Species Is Actually 126-Plus

One species of lichen, genetic sequencing revealed, was many, many, many species

July 2, 2014

Cool Finds

There’s a Secret Pool in the Mojave Desert

Part art project, part public pool, this artificial oasis will take some effort to get to

July 1, 2014

Trending Today

This Bench in Boston Will Charge Your Phone While It Collects Environmental Data

These solar-powered benches aren’t just made for sitting

July 1, 2014

Cool Finds

More Than Two Thirds of American Youth Aren’t Good Enough for the Military, Says the Military

The military won’t accept people prescribed ADHD medications—but that doesn’t mean soldiers aren’t using Adderall

July 1, 2014

New Research

Archeologists Find Evidence of Torture at 1,200 Year Old Massacre

An archaeological dig in Colorado was the site of a horrific massacre

July 1, 2014

New Research

High-Ranking Male Biology Professors Train Significantly Fewer Female Students

This might help explain why fewer women than men go on to hold biology professorships

July 1, 2014

New Research

Here’s How You Should Actually Go About Comforting a Depressed Friend

Optimism and well-wishes are not necessarily the best way to show a suffering friend that you care

July 1, 2014

Cool Finds

UNESCO Just Announced the 1000th World Heritage Site

Botswana’s lush Okavango Delta claims the slot

July 1, 2014

New Research

Cuckoos Don’t Sneak Into Other Birds’ Nests—They Barge Right In

Cuckoos don’t just make other bird’s raise their young, they lay their eggs while the other bird is in the nest

June 30, 2014

New Research

What If There’s a Way to Explain Quantum Physics Without the Probabilistic Weirdness?

An old idea is back in vogue as physicists find support for “pilot wave theory,” a competitor to quantum mechanics

June 30, 2014

Cool Finds

Small Viking Charms Really Do Represent Thor’s Hammer

Inscription on a small metal charm definitively states ‘This is a hammer’

June 30, 2014

Trending Today

American Law Has Never Been Comfortable With Birth Control

Americans might support and use birth control, but the Hobby Lobby decision did not

June 30, 2014

Trending Today

Facebook’s Mood-Manipulation Study Wasn’t Nice But It Also Wasn’t Very Good Science

Facebook tried to deliberately change the moods of some of its users

June 30, 2014

New Research

The Experience of Almost Dying Is Surprisingly Calm

People who have had near-death experiences report that they are quite peaceful.

June 30, 2014

New Research

Some Chimps Are Putting Grass in Their Ears For No Particular Reason

Some chimp are creating their own “ear accoutrements,” perhaps the animal equivalent of a fashion statement.

June 30, 2014