Smart News / Smart News Science

Buy a Handbag, Burn a Forest

Brazilian deforestation is tied to producers of luxury Italian leather goods

March 5, 2013

Animals Can Help Kids With Autism More Than Toys Can

Recently, researchers explored the potential for therapy animals to help kids with autism, and found that they were more effective than toys

March 4, 2013

A Forensic Analysis of Richard the Lionheart’s Heart

Richard the Lionheart was buried without his heart, and a modern forensic analysis just unveiled how it was preserved

March 4, 2013

Being a Soccer Fan Can Actually Kill You

During the 2006 World Cup watching a soccer game doubled the risk of a heart attack in German fans

March 4, 2013

Mississippi Baby Might Have Been Cured of HIV

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University say they have cured a baby of HIV using standard HIV drugs very early in life

March 4, 2013

American Football Players Aren’t the Only Ones With Head Injury Issues

Soccer players who head the ball could be injuring their brains, as well

March 1, 2013

Arctic Drilling Is On Hiatus As Shell Packs It In

After a string of mishaps, Shell is pausing their bid to drill the Arctic seas

February 28, 2013

Could Spider Silk Stop a Moving Train?

Spiderman really could have stopped that train from falling, so long as his silk resembled that produced by the Darwin’s bark spider

February 28, 2013

Canadian Government Winds Down Research That Could Help Stop Climate Change

If carbon dioxide emissions don’t start dropping in the next few decades, we’re looking at hundreds of years of high temperatures

February 27, 2013

Giant Goldfish Have Invaded Lake Tahoe

Populations of native fish have decreased tenfold in Lake Tahoe, and this new invader could only exacerbate the situation

February 27, 2013

Lighting Up the Arctic Sky With Artificial Aurorae

The U.S. military’s Naval Research Lab teamed up with university researchers and defense contractors to set the atmosphere aglow

February 27, 2013

China Acknowledges It Has a Problem With Pollution-Laden ‘Cancer Villages’

This is most likely the first that authorities dubbed pollution-laden problem locations “cancer villages” in an official report

February 26, 2013

Chemicals in Water May Be Messing With Otters’ Sexual Mojo

Scientists examined hundreds of otters to arrive at these grim findings

February 25, 2013

Ask Smithsonian 2017

Could a Whale Accidentally Swallow You? It Is Possible

Whale sharks probably can’t fit you down their esophagus, but mariners claim that sperm whales have swallowed people in the past

February 25, 2013

For Female Golden Moles, Size Does Matter

Females judge potential mates by their penis sizes, which they use to gauge a male’s attractiveness for copulation

February 22, 2013

Artificial Wetland Uses Bacteria to Clean Pharmaceuticals From Sewage

By harnessing bacteria to do the heavy lifting, a way to clean pharmaceuticals from waste water

February 22, 2013

Dolphins May Have Names for One Another

Whether dolphin vocalizations should be considered names and are used in a way comparable to humans remains contested, but research suggests that they may

February 22, 2013

Brace Yourselves, the Drought’s Not Close to Over Yet

Unless we get a lot of rain, soon, the U.S. is heading for another summer of drought

February 22, 2013

Amazing Astrophotography Lets You See Nebulae in 3D

Gorgeous animated gifs give depth to stunning nebulae

February 22, 2013

Men Are Better Navigators Than Women, But Not Because of Evolution

Navigational abilities may be a side effect of higher testosterone levels

February 20, 2013