History of Science
How to Catch a Glimpse of the Draconid Meteor Shower
While the annual shower usually makes for a sleepy showing, it has been known to produce fantastic outbursts in the past
Remarkable 200-Year-Old Rock Painting May Depict a Strange Animal That Went Extinct 250 Million Years Ago
The Horned Serpent Panel from southern Africa predates the first Western scientific description of the dicynodont, a large mammal ancestor with tusks, by at least a decade
This World War I Prisoner of War Solved the Mystery of the Ice Ages
Serbian scientist Milutin Milanković changed our understanding of Earth’s climate—and did a key part of his work while detained by Austro-Hungarian forces
The Long, Strange History of Teflon, the Indestructible Product Nothing Seems to Stick to
Chemists accidentally discovered the material in 1938, and since then it has been used for everything from helping to create the first atomic bomb to keeping your eggs from sticking to your frying pan
How 'Fly Me to the Moon' Pokes Fun at Moon Landing Conspiracy Theories
The new Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum film presents an alternative history in which government officials prepared to fake the moon landing before NASA pulled off the feat for real
What a 100-Year-Old Lie Detector and 150-Year-Old Arsenic Tests Tell Us About Forensic Science Today
An exhibition at the National Museum of American History examines how humans influence and judge investigation techniques
Meet the Forgotten Woman Who Revolutionized Microbiology With a Simple Kitchen Staple
Fanny Angelina Hesse introduced agar to the life sciences in 1881. A trove of unpublished family papers sheds new light on her many accomplishments
The 18th-Century Baron Who Lent His Name to Munchausen Syndrome
The medical condition is named after a fictional storyteller who in turn was based on a real-life German nobleman known for telling tall tales
To Help the Allied War Effort, These Scientists Got Drunk on Nitrogen
During World War II, British researchers conducted tests on themselves to gauge how submariners' brains would function at extreme depths
How Do Animals React to a Total Solar Eclipse? Scientists Document Strange and Surprising Behaviors
Nature enthusiasts work with researchers to figure out how creatures respond to the celestial phenomenon
The Eclipse Chaser Who Led an Expedition Behind Enemy Lines During the Revolutionary War
In 1780, astronomer Samuel Williams journeyed to British-controlled territory to view a total solar eclipse
For Most Mammal Species, Males Actually Aren't Larger Than Females, Study Finds
New research upends a long-held theory that male mammals tend to be bigger than their female counterparts
Long Overlooked, This 11th-Century Astronomical Device Documents Scientific Exchange Among Muslims, Jews and Christians
The astrolabe features Hebrew and Latin inscriptions added by different owners over time
The Dirty Secret About How Our Hands Spread Disease
The human hand is an incredible tool—and a deadly threat
A History of Total Solar Eclipses Seen by Astronauts From Outer Space
Since the Gemini 12 mission in 1966, a handful of people have seen these stunning celestial events from orbit—or watched the moon’s shadow pass over Earth
How Ancient Texts Can Shed Light on Auroras
Documenting episodes of the phenomenon thousands of years ago may help us predict damaging solar storms in the future
See What Charles Darwin Kept in His 'Insanely Eclectic' Personal Library, Revealed for the First Time
On the English naturalist's 215th birthday, more than 9,000 titles from his expansive collection are now accessible online
California Grizzlies Weren't as Big—or Bloodthirsty—as People Once Thought
The now-extinct bears were mostly vegetarians and measured about the same size as today's North American grizzlies
Building Used by Marie Curie Saved From Demolition
Cultural heritage supporters are hoping to see the facility listed as a protected site
This Device Might Be England's Oldest Dated Scientific Instrument
The 712-year-old artifact is a horary quadrant, a medieval tool used to tell time based on the position of the sun
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