Smart News Science

The Scientific Reason Super-Villains Always Lose

Evil isn't the only culprit

Ancient Reptiles Kept Switching Between Laying Eggs And Giving Birth to Live Babies

Colder temperatures seem key to triggering the switch to live births

This Past November Was the Hottest November Ever Recorded

In the 134-year observational record, we've never had a hotter November

The new tapir, Tapirus kabomani.

Scientists Discover a New Species of Tapir; Locals Say, “We Told You!”

The new tapir is the smallest of the world's five known species but it still counts as one of the largest mammals found in South America

The northern subtropical jet stream flows in Cameron Beccario's Earth.

Watch How the Wind Moves Around the Earth—It's Hypnotic

This mesmerizing tool helps visualize the winds all over the globe and is known simply as “Earth"

Two Scientists Share Credit for the Theory of Evolution. Darwin Got Famous; This Biologist Didn’t.

When the Linnean Society of London hears the case for natural selection in 1858, Darwin shared credit with biologist A.R. Wallace

We All Experience Smells Differently From One Another

A difference of a single amino acid on one gene can cause that person to experience a smell differently than someone with another amino acid

Stop Freaking Out About Lead in Backyard Chicken Eggs

Urban hens' eggs have elevated levels of lead, but the levels are still pretty low

Watch China’s Chang’e Lander Touch Down on the Moon

For the first time in 37 years, humans have landed something on the Moon

How Many Birds Do Wind Turbines Really Kill?

The giant spinning turbines are basically bird death traps - and often they cut through prime flying space making the carnage even worse

Cut Down a Forest, Let It Grow Back, And Even 30 Years Later It’s Not the Same

In the tropics, secondary forests are often "ephemeral," succumbing to deforestation every 10 years or so and thus never able to fully recover

Don't let the badges fool you - most people are willing to cheat.

It’s Not That Hard to Make People Do Bad Things

How many people do you think you'd have to approach before you could convince one to tell a lie?

A composite photo shows the shower of the Geminids.

Friday Night Lights: The Geminid Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight

For prime meteor shower viewing tonight, stay up late until the Moon sets

James Bond’s Martini Consumption Would Have Compromised His Physical, Mental and Sexual Abilities

The authors postulate that the spy's preference for shaken, not stirred vodka martinis may indicate a case of shaky hands caused by alcohol-induced tremors

Peruse the Weird Medical History of Every Single U.S. President

From John Adams's baldness to James Madison's frostbite to Herbert Hoover's handshake problems, learn about the ailments of the presidents

Playing an Instrument Won’t Make Your Kid Smarter

Music can, however, boost children's creativity and teach them important life skills such as discipline and concentration--but so can other hobbies

Some Animals Don't Get Weaker With Age

Some animals actually get more fertile and less prone to dying as they hit their upper years

Allergies Can Be So Specific That a Person Can React to a Egg's Yolk But Not Its Whites

Food allergies can be quite specific, triggered by a single species rather than entire genre such as "seafood"

Imagining Eating Cookies Makes You Eat More Cookies

Even if you think a lot about eating fruit, it won't be enough to make you actually grab that apple

To Fight Superbugs, FDA Goes After Antibiotic Overuse on Farms

The FDA is pushing for a voluntary end to the use of antibiotics on farms as growth promoters

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