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Smart News / Smart News Science

Doctors Warned Life Expectancy Could Go Down, And It Did

Some groups of Americans have actually seen their expected lifespans decline

Sea Ice Extent

After Summer Cyclone, Arctic Sea Ice Reaches New Low

On September 16, sea ice reached record lows in the Arctic, covering an area of just 3.41 million square kilometers or 1.32 million square miles

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Does This Cat Know When You’re Going to Die?

Oscar the cat seems to know who will die and when - or perhaps he’s just looking for someone to pet him

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Fire Tornado, Fire Devil, Whatever—Just Look at This Swirling Column of Fire

New York’s state climatologist and a professor of atmospheric sciences at Cornell University, the columns of dust are more similar to a dust devil

Honey Was the Wonder Food That Fueled Human Evolution (And Now It’s Disappearing)

Energy-rich honey could have been the food that let humans get so brainy

After a Four Year Fight, Scientists Announce No Link Between XMRV and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

What you need to know about the recent XMRV, chronic fatigue syndrome announcement

The Martian moon Phobos, passing in front of the Sun

A Solar Eclipse, As Seen From the Surface of Mars

Advances in space exploration has changed the way we see eclipses

The strange spheres Opportunity found on Mars

Mysterious Spheres on Mars Are ‘Crunchy on the Outside’ And ‘Softer in the Middle’

Opportunity had found an unusual rock formation on Mars

Proud Panda Parents Mei Xiang and Tian Tian

Meet the National Zoo’s Newest Panda Cub

Giant panda Mei Xiang gave birth to a panda cub at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C.

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International Space Station Cameras Will Bring Earth to You, Live, 24/7

Two HD video cameras will stream free live video back from space

The ruins at Mohenjo-Daro, built by an ancient Indus Valley Civilization.

Flooding in Pakistan Threatens Remains of 4500-Year-Old Civilization

Strong flooding fueled by the annual monsoon threatens the ancient town of Mohenjo-Daro

A male, left, and a female, right, of the new monkey species.

Meet the World’s Newest Monkey Species

Lesula (Cercopithecus lomamiensis) from the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the world’s newest species of monkey

Acupuncture Barbie suffers from chronic pain.

Acupuncture Might Actually Work (Surprise! It Probably Doesn’t)

A recent study suggesting acupuncture is medically effective is not without flaws

An interpretation of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

As Global Food Prices Climb, So Does the Probability of Riots

Rising food prices set the stage for riots and instability

Dirty Curiosity Rover Could Seed Mars With Earthly Bacteria

Curiosity is loaded with bacteria, and it could contaminate Mars

In 2009, Getting a Seasonal Flu Shot Put You At Risk for That Year’s Pandemic Swine Flu

People who got the seasonal flu shot were more affected by the pandemic H1N1

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For Athletes, Time Really Does Slow Down

Neuroscientists now think that the perception of time might really slow down for athletes before the big moment

Nature’s Sunscreen: A Big Bushy Beard

Beards block sunlight and could help prevent sunburns, but there may be side effects

Oil hangs in the water following the blow-out of the Macondo well, June 19, 2010.

How Scientists Know the Tar Balls Hurricane Isaac Dredged Up Came From the BP Oil Spill

Scientists confirm that oil strewn by hurricane Isaac derived from BP’s blown-out Macondo well

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Admitting That Big Ugly Spider Is Terrifying Will Make It Less Frightening

Talk about your fear while you do the thing you fear most, and you might have better luck overcoming your phobia

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