Anyone who has experienced sleep paralysis will tell you that it is one of the most terrifying things a person can go through. A form of parasomnia, this weird sleep phenomenon typically involves an inability to move while witnessing nightmarish figures hover over one’s body – despite having just woken up. In most cases, the […]
Pencil Lead Can Be Turned Into Metaphorical “Gold”
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have achieved the alchemist’s dream. Well, kind of. They have found a way to metaphorically turn graphite into “gold”. The MIT physicists created a method for isolating five ultrathin flakes of graphite, one of the main components of pencil lead, that are stacked in a specific order. The […]
Those Expensive Air Filters Probably Aren’t Stopping You Getting Sick, Study Finds
Air filtration systems – as well as a host of other supposedly risk-reducing strategies that have proliferated since the COVID-19 pandemic – may be ineffective in real-world situations, according to a new analysis from researchers in the UK. In a review of more than 30 studies conducted between 1970 and 2022, the team behind the […]
The Average Color Of The Universe Is A Morning Wake-up Call
If you combine all the colors in the universe in proportion to the extent they are produced, you get a beige-ish white. Realizing that sounded a bit depressing, astronomers ran a poll for suggested names that would give the universe the PR boost it needs. Most suggestions centered on the similarity to milky coffee and […]
Scientists Create 3D-Bioprinted Hair Follicles In Lab-Grown Skin
New research has seen scientists use 3D bioprinting to sprout hair follicle-like structures into lab-grown human skin tissue. Researchers at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the US start the process by “growing “ samples of skin and follicle cells in a lab, after which they’re mixed with special proteins and other materials to create a […]
World First As UK Greenlights Landmark CRISPR Gene Editing Treatment
The world’s first CRISPR-based therapy has been approved by the UK medicines regulator, it was announced on Thursday. The pioneering treatment, which involves the much-lauded gene-editing method CRISPR, will target two blood conditions: sickle-cell disease and beta-thalassemia. “This is a landmark approval which opens the door for further applications of CRISPR therapies in the future for […]
Kazumura Cave – The Longest Lava Tube In The World
Visitors to Hawai’i may not be aware that the 50th US state holds a unique secret – it is home to the longest lava tube in the world. What is a lava tube? As a set of islands created by volcanic activity, Hawai’i is dotted with numerous lava tubes. These natural formations, sometimes referred to […]
How Many Volcanoes Are Actively Erupting Today? More Than You May Think
Hundreds upon hundreds of active volcanoes are scattered across planet Earth, but only a small number are currently in the grips of a violent eruptive episode. While it’s difficult to predict when a volcano might blow, geologists are constantly keeping tabs on those that are already neck-deep in an eruption. There are approximately 1,350 potentially […]
People Are Weirdly “Shaken” By The Ingredients Of McDonald’s Sweet & Sour Dip
The flavoring of McDonald’s Sweet & Sour dip has sent some TikTokkers into a tailspin after an account revealed which fruit plays a central role in its tang. While some suggested pineapple might be the elusive star of the smooth sauce, others have been left “shaken” by the discovery that it is in fact apricot. […]
How The Faces Of 3 Medieval Scots From The “Cradle Of Christianity” Were Revealed
In recent years, facial reconstruction technology has allowed us to come face-to-face with our ancient ancestors in a way that had never been possible before. From a 50,000-year-old geriatric Neanderthal, to a medieval man with achondroplastic dwarfism, and the ever-enigmatic “hobbit” hominid Homo floresiensis, our forebears faces can now be revealed in stark relief. In […]
Endangered Green Sea Turtles Being Feminized By Hormone Mimicking Pollutants
Research on populations of green sea turtles suggests that specific pollutants that accumulate in female turtles could be passed onto their young and may cause them to become feminized. This situation may compound issues for a species that already has fewer male hatchlings. “Green sea turtles are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red […]
120-Million-Year-Old Fossil Footprints Become Australia’s Oldest Bird Tracks On Record
The astonishing discovery of 27 fossil bird footprints dating back 120 to 128 million years is changing the way we view avian evolution and migration. Found in the Wonthaggi Formation south of Melbourne, they were laid down in the Early Cretaceous and created by birds stepping across soft sand or mud. The footprints are so […]
Texas Might Be Home To Woolly Mammoths Sooner Than You Think
Modern day Texas is home to deer, rattlesnakes, and bobcats, to name a few animals, and – according to news from a de-extinction company – soon, it might also have mammoths. The company behind the ambitious target is Colossal Biosciences, and it’s their goal to have living, breathing mammoths at their Texas-based facility by 2028. […]
Plants “Cry Out” When They Need Water, We Just Can’t Hear Them
If you’ve ever spent time around babies, you’ll know that the main way they communicate their needs and feelings is through crying. New research suggests plants take a similar approach – when they’re thirsty or stressed, they make “airborne sounds.” How to detect a crying plant While you’d be hard-pressed not to hear a tiny […]
Why Does Your Stomach Rumble When You’re Hungry? There Are Three Key Reasons
When humans get hungry, our stomachs appear to protest with a series of rumbles and growls that can be audible even to those around us. It’s a normal part of being human and something all of us have experienced, but what’s actually going on to make those peculiar sounds? The reason why our stomachs growl […]
Rust Actually Has Very Little To Do With Tetanus
If you hear the word “tetanus”, there’s a good chance you’ll have a cringe-inducing vision of stepping on a rusty nail, followed by a swift trip to the hospital. However, this is a bit of a misconception: tetanus doesn’t actually have much to do with rust. Tetanus is a serious, life-threatening condition caused by the […]
Water Is Leaking Into The Earth’s Core, A 3D-Printed Robot Hand Has Ligaments And “Bones”, And Much More This Week
This week Jupiter’s Great Red Spot has shrunk to the smallest we’ve ever seen it, a 71-million-year-old snoozing dinosaur suggests they slept like birds, and one of nature’s “most intimidating spectacles” may become a lot more common. Finally, we investigate how the natural world made ancient warfare pretty weird. Subscribe to the IFLScience newsletter for […]
How Is Decaf Coffee Made? And Is It Really Caffeine-Free?
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world, and its high levels of caffeine are among the main reasons why. It’s a natural stimulant that provides an energy buzz, and we just can’t get enough. However, some people prefer to limit their caffeine intake for health or other reasons. Decaffeinated or “decaf” […]
Are Our Observed Black Holes Concealing Wormholes?
The known universe is full of exciting things like black holes, hypernovas, and merging neutron stars. All of those, however, look tame compared to items physicists think might exist but have yet to find. Perhaps chief among these are wormholes, which theoretically join parts of space and time, allowing those who enter them a shortcut […]
Leading Alzheimer’s Theory Called Into Question As Another Drug Fails Trials
Two phase 3 trials of an Alzheimer’s drug have failed to demonstrate significant improvements in cognitive function, throwing doubt on one of the leading theories as to the cause of the neurodegenerative disease. The so-called “amyloid hypothesis” proposes that build-up of a protein called amyloid-beta is responsible for the neuronal death and degeneration that is […]
