WEIRD SCIENCE
The eerie silence above may tell us something ominous about the future of our own civilization. By Thomas Moynihan – It is 1950 and a group of scientists are walking to lunch against the majestic backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. They are about …
By Michael Irving – An artist’s impression of a collision between Jupiter and a large, ancient planetoid that would have disrupted its core. (Credit: K. Suda & Y. Akimoto/Mabuchi Design Office/Astrobiology Center, Japan). Jupiter is a gigantic ball of churning gas clouds, and …
Paul Ridden – A special report from the IPCC entitled Climate Change and Land will form the basis of scientific input for upcoming climate and environment negotiations. (Credit: kevron2002/Depositphotos). A Special Report of Climate Change and Land by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate …
By Michael Irving – Researchers have shown that amino acids, the building blocks of life, stack themselves readily under the right conditions. (Credit: elenathewise/Depositphotos). Exactly how life sprung out of non-living matter is one of biology’s biggest mysteries. But with continued research …
Discovery raises new questions about the amount of plastic waste permeating the air, water, and soil virtually everywhere on Earth. By Maanvi Singh in San Francisco – Trail markers on the trail near Colorado’s highest peak, Mount Elbert, in the Rocky Mountains. Photograph: …
By Michael Irving – A new theory suggests that dark matter originated before the Big Bang. (Credit: Andreus/Depositphotos). Few things are as mysterious as dark matter, the strange substance that appears to outnumber ordinary matter by a ratio of five to one. Now, …
There could be an alien world out there with your name on it…! By Scott Snowden – As part of its 100th anniversary commemorations, the Paris-based International Astronomical Union is organizing the IAU100 NameExoWorlds, a global competition that allows any country in the …
By Ben Coxworth – The Black Squid Jacket incorporates over 2 billion laser-embedded microspheres. (Credit: Vollebak). It was just last year that we heard about Vollebak’s Black Light Jacket, which incorporates a series of black spots that reflect white in bright light. …
“Eye-tracking technology shows clear potential for detecting concealed knowledge.” By Emma Betuel – Fortunately, scientists already know how to beat the lie detectors of the future, which will rely on brain scans. But even our best attempts at deceit may be destined to …
What’s good for the body is good for the brain. By Ralph Martins – With the rise of fad diets, “superfoods,” and a growing range of dietary supplement choices, it’s sometimes hard to know what to eat. This can be particularly relevant as …
