Smart News Science

Madagascar Is Battling a Bubonic Plague Outbreak

Health officials confirmed this week that at least 20 villagers have now died from plague, which likely originates from infected rats

If the concentration of PFTBA is the same everywhere as it is in Toronto, which the researchers think it is, then that would be a bad thing.

There’s a New Greenhouse Gas to Worry About, And It’s 7,100 Times Stronger Than Carbon Dioxide

PFTBA is the most efficient greenhouse gas found, on a molecule-by-molecule basis

NASA's Juno spacecraft captures first images of our moon orbiting Earth.

Watch From Space As the Moon Orbits Around Earth

The Earth and the Moon, as seen from 600,000 miles away

So with Turkestan roaches and Japanese roaches now calling North America home, how many cockroaches do we now have to worry about?

How Many Species of Cockroaches Plague Humanity?

There are 4,500 species of cockroaches in the world, but just 30 are considered pests

Being able to identify people based on their skulls is a key part of forensic anthropology. The problem is that no one has ever really tested how good we are at it.

Can You Match These Skulls? Many Experts Can’t

Only 56 percent of forensic anthropologists can correctly pair up two images of the same skull when given two profile images

Animals use one of two different mechanisms, bioluminescence and fluorescence, to light up.

This One Little Video Will Help You Understand Fireflies Better Forever

Bioluminescence is a chemical reaction that happens and creates light. Fluorescence requires lights to be seen

Can you find Beijing in this photo? Or anything, really?

China Is So Smoggy You Can’t Even See Beijing From Space

Can you find Beijing in this smog-filled satellite photo?

The Antarctic plateau. Very, very, very cold. Now, imagine it in winter.

You Think It’s Cold Out? NASA Just Found the New Coldest Place on Earth

At -135.8 Fahrenheit, you definitely don't want to go here

If People Flirted Like Animals

Just be glad people don't flirt like some of these other animals

Sharks Can Sense When Your Back Is Turned

New research suggests that sharks can sense where you can't see, and will approach just outside your field of vision

By Painting Their Markings, This Scientist Disrupted Birds' Social Structure

A few lines of black paint was all it took to destroy these Pūkekos' social standing

This is how many days I have left.

Can This App Predict Your Death?

When are you going to die? You probably don't know the answer to that question - but if you download this app you could find out. Sort of

You Can Be Really Good at Certain Skills Without Having Any Idea How They Work

How well do you know the tools you use every day?

A more Earthly Mordor.

Which U.S. City Most Resembles Mordor? A British Climate Scientist Found Out

Mordor is basically Los Angeles

Why Do Moose Fight So Much?

The point isn't actually to gore the other moose with your antlers, but rather to push harder and show that you're stronger

Without Nutrients From Conventional Farms, Yields of Organic Crops Could Go Down

Many of the nutrients flowing through organic farms still ultimately derive from conventional farms

This part of the planet would have looked a whole lot different.

America Was Almost Two Separate Continents

The east and the west were nearly different continents

Seattle Seahawks Fans Caused an Earthquake This Week

Seattle fans take pride their stadium and ability to be loud. But to anyone's knowledge, the 12th Man causing an earthquake is a first

A mugger crocodile balances twigs on its nose to tempt birds

Crocodiles Balance Twigs on Their Heads to Lure Nest-Building Birds

While crocodiles and alligators are stereotyped as "lethargic, stupid and boring," researchers say the reptiles are more cunning than they seem

All turnips, all the time.

The Moon: The Only Place in the Universe Anyone's Excited About Turnips

Someone at NASA has a real thing for turnips

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