It’s a conundrum many of us have wrestled with. We all want to do our bit to help the planet and fight food waste – yet we know that the minute the leftover spaghetti touches the inside of that plastic food container, it will be consigned to a life of orange-stained abandonment at the back […]
Ötzi The Iceman’s Tattoos Recreated On Living Skin To Discover How They Were Made
A research team consisting of archaeologists and a professional tattoo artist has finally unlocked the secrets encoded onto the skin of Ötzi The Iceman. Arguably the world’s most famous prehistoric corpse, Ötzi’s body was covered in tattoos, yet until now scientists were unsure how the markings were made on the old geezer’s skin. Thought to […]
Meet The Maned Wolf: South America’s Largest Canid
Long legs, brown fur, big ears, and a bushy tail – the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) looks remarkably like a fox, and you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a wolf as the name suggests. However, this remarkable creature is actually not closely related to either. So what exactly is a maned wolf, and what […]
When Was The Longest Recorded Solar Eclipse In History?
Not all solar eclipses are equal – even if we’re ignoring partial and annual eclipses, some are more impressive sights than others. Part of the building excitement about next month’s North American eclipse is how much longer it will last than the 2017 equivalent, leading to questions like: when was the longest eclipse of all? […]
Why Polyamory? New Insights Into People’s Motivations Challenge Old Stereotypes
A new study explores the motivations that lead some individuals to pursue polyamory, the practice of engaging in multiple consenting romantic and/or sexual relationships. According to the study, polyamorous individuals are largely driven by a desire for greater relatedness (connection with people), autonomy, and a desire to have more of their needs met. The results […]
Farmed Python Meat Could Be The Earth-Friendly Food Of The Future
As the world tries to wean itself off emission-belching agriculture, giant pythons could prove to be a more sustainable, slithering alternative to beef, pork, and chicken. In a new study, a team of scientists argues that pythons could provide a “flexible and efficient” alternative to other conventional farmed livestock, since they are surprisingly sustainable while […]
Don’t Worry About The Alien Pea Pods Popping Up Around The World This Summer
We come across a lot of bizarre animals here at IFLScience and the one we present to you today is no different – but you’d definitely be forgiven for thinking it was a sign of an alien invasion if you came across one. What on Earth (literally) are we on about, we hear you ask? […]
Golfing And Gardening May Put Men At Up To 3 Times More Risk Of Motor Neuron Disease
A new study indicates that men who take part in hobbies like golf, gardening, and woodwork are at a higher risk of developing a progressive, incurable neurological disease known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The results add to a growing link between this disease and exposure to toxins in the environment. ALS is a fatal […]
Russia And China Are Planning On Building A Nuclear Reactor On The Moon
In 2021, the Chinese and Russian space agencies signed a joint agreement to build a research base on the Moon. In a new announcement, the space agencies say they are hoping to build an automated nuclear reactor on the lunar surface to power the International Lunar Research Station by 2035. You may have noticed that […]
Giant Blueberry The Size Of A Ping Pong Ball Is The New World Record Breaker
A big-ass berry has just earned the title of the world’s heaviest blueberry, weighing in at a whopping 20.40 grams (0.71 ounces) and measuring 39.31 millimeters (over 1.5 inches) in diameter. The ping pong ball-sized berry was picked in November 2023 at a farm operated by Costa Group in Corindi, New South Wales, Australia. Advertisement […]
SpaceX’s Starship Has Successfully Flown Into Orbit, Burning Up Over The Indian Ocean
The third test flight of Starship was successful. The spacecraft and its booster went up to space and successfully performed the main goals for this test. Not everything went according to plan but neither component exploded, which is an improvement on the previous two flights. Starship launched from SpaceX’s Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas at […]
Watch Corals Release Clouds Of Eggs And Sperm In Cambodia’s First Observed Spawning Event
In the waters off the coast of Cambodia, scientists have witnessed a truly incredible event for the very first time. The coral has begun to spawn, representing the first time a mass coral reef spawning event has been observed in this area. The event began in the first week of March. Coral spawning is not […]
Montana Man’s Plan To Breed Giant Hybrid Frankensheep Lands Him In Trouble
A wild criminal case has unfolded in Montana involving an 80-year-old rancher, illegal insemination, cloned animals, forgery, trophy hunting, and the dream of creating a huge hybrid sheep. Arthur “Jack” Schubarth, the owner of an 87-hectare (215-acre) ranch in Montana, was the mastermind of a money-making scheme that created giant sheep hybrids with the hope […]
Laser-Chasing Fish Disrupt Research – Are Blue Cod The Ocean’s Cats?
Blue cod in New Zealand’s Marlborough Sounds were feline frisky during a recent research project in which scientists were using lasers to research the species (Parapercis colias) in the region. Reviewing the footage, the team discovered that the blue cod were doing something strangely cat-like – they started chasing the lasers. “When trying to count and […]
America Is Building Two Giant Telescopes – But Only Has The Money To Finish One
The world is building three gigantic optical telescopes whose size will dwarf anything we have today. It is hoped these three collectively will answer some of the big questions of the universe that have proven beyond existing instruments. However, a proposed National Science Foundation (NSF) budget cap puts one leg of the stool in danger. […]
Cat That Fell Into Vat Of Toxic Chemicals Is On The Loose In Japan
The Japanese city of Fukuyama is on high alert after a cat fell into a vat of hazardous chemicals before scampering off into the night. Residents have been warned to keep their distance should they come across the unfortunate feline, which is covered in the highly acidic carcinogen hexavalent chromium. According to the Japanese newspaper […]
The Plan To Ban TikTok In The US Takes A Step Closer To Reality
The US House has just passed a bill that could lead to a nationwide ban on TikTok unless its Chinese owner ByteDance sells it within six months. Known as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, or H.R.7521, the bill passed by a vote of 352-65 on Wednesday March 13 and now makes […]
Why NASA Only Uses A Handful Of The 62.8 Trillion Known Digits Of Pi In Its Calculations
It’s March 14 – Pi Day as the date format used in the US and only a handful of other countries reads 3/14. And 3.14 is usually what you need to know when you are doing calculations that involve circular things. For example, working out how much more pizza you get by ordering one 18-inch […]
New Giant Turtle Species That Lived 40,000 Years Ago Is One Shell Of A Fossil
A new species of giant freshwater turtle has been described by scientists who discovered the aquatic beast’s enormous jaw bone in the Brazilian Amazon. Its shell would’ve been around 1.8 meters (5.9 feet) long, making it larger than any turtle alive today. Stephen King was the inspiration for the ancient turtle’s species name, Peltocephalus maturin. […]
When Will Earth’s Last Total Solar Eclipse Take Place?
2024 is a pretty great year for gawping at celestial events. As well as a possible once-in-a-lifetime chance to see a nova, there is a total solar eclipse taking place across North America on April 8. While emergency officials warn that you should stock up on food, water, and fuel ahead of the eclipse, and […]
