As this map of Bouguer’s gravity anomaly shows, the pull of the earth varies considerably by region. By Frank Jacobs – Gravitational anomalies across Illinois, Indiana and Ohio: red means higher than average, blue is lower than average. Image: USGS. The law of …
The “Big Five” serves as a benchmark for whether human beings have created a sixth mass extinction. By Frederik Saltre and Corey J. A. Bradshaw – For more than 3.5 billion years, living organisms have thrived, multiplied, and diversified to occupy every ecosystem …
In the cosmos, water can mean life. By Passant Rabie – Scientists have long suspected that beneath the cracked, icy surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa lies a vast ocean of liquid water, twice as large as the oceans on Earth. And that ultra-cold …
By Genevieve Carlton – Everyone’s heard of Lucille Ball and I Love Lucy. But not as many people are familiar with Desilu Studios, and even fewer know the true story behind Lucille Ball and Star Trek. In fact, according to an influential studio executive, Star Trek never would …
Living near green spaces like public parks may help you live longer, a new study suggests. By Nina Pullano – Gloomy, gray cityscapes making you crave the feeling of sitting beneath a lush, green tree canopy? You aren’t alone. But there is more to …
Turns out they shouldn’t even exist in the first place. By Passant Rabie – Buckyballs are the rule-breakers of chemistry. These strange molecules are made up of 60 carbon atoms, fused together in a soccer-ball shape. For years, scientists assumed they could only …
By Melissa Sartore – Why did the US want Hawaii? With even a glance at its sensual beaches and lush jungles, it’s no surprise that the scenic islands have always been desirable. But as with any story of settlement, the development of Hawaii didn’t come …
By BBC – Ruja Ignatova called herself the Cryptoqueen. She told people she had invented a cryptocurrency to rival Bitcoin, and persuaded them to invest billions. Then, two years ago, she disappeared. Jamie Bartlett spent months investigating how she did it for the …
By Rich Haridy – Designer babies, either through direct gene editing or just choosing embryos based on genomic profiles, are still in the realm of science fiction according to new computer simulations. Sangoiri/Depositphotos. Following the birth of the world’s first CRISPR gene-edited …
By Rich Haridy – Three new studies add weight to a long-held hypothesis connecting neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment to chronic inflammation. LisaAlisa_ill/Depositphotos. – Several newly published studies are reporting evidence affirming a growing hypothesis that links inflammation with cognitive deficits. As well as …
