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If you’ve ever skipped a laundry day and been forced to hit the gym in your backup sports kit, you’ll know that when it comes to stinkiness, not all fabrics are created equal. But exactly why that is has proved elusive – until now. Advertisement “Although we know that polyester is smellier after being worn […]

Glistening like a celestial engagement ring deep in outer space, this stunning new image shows a quasar located roughly six billion light-years away from Earth. Advertisement Quasars are the super-bright and energetic centers of distant galaxies powered by supermassive black holes. They are among the most powerful objects in the universe, beaming out the equivalent […]

From white and brown to pinkish and blue, chicken eggs come in all kinds of colors, especially if you shop at the overpriced organic food store. Despite what you’ve heard, it’s not directly associated with the color of the hen (when was the last time you saw a blue chicken?).  Advertisement The main factor behind […]

Dealing with dead whales might be about to change thanks to a study that’s highlighted the sustainable, cultural, and ecosystem benefits of leaning on nature to get rid of the bodies. Not only has it revealed that we can forecast where they might turn up with “surprisingly high accuracy,” but the alternative solution can keep […]

The global climate crisis is playing havoc with temperatures and environments across the world. In Death Valley, the highest-ever recorded temperature looks like it could be broken once again as scorching heat leads experts to put out warnings. Sea level rise has also claimed its first local extinction in the USA in the form of […]

Within days of its election, Britain’s new Labour government removed a de facto ban on new onshore wind farms introduced by the former Conservative government in 2015. The decision, which has been celebrated by environmentalists, represents an encouraging early step in the new government’s efforts to combat climate change, but it will likely cause concern […]

Observations by the JWST have revealed exciting hints of an Earth-like atmosphere on a planet orbiting a relatively nearby star. The planet is likely to be cooler than Earth, but still warmer than Mars and possibly well-suited to life. Advertisement The planet LHS 1140b has been causing excitement ever since it was discovered in 2017, […]

A new study has precisely calculated how fast time on the Moon goes compared to time on Earth, and the Solar System’s barycenter. Advertisement Time passes at different rates for different observers, depending on their relative speeds and their proximity to (and strength of) nearby gravitational fields. This doesn’t normally figure into your everyday calculations. […]

As much as we all might wish otherwise, COVID-19 just doesn’t want to go away. It keeps changing to survive and with that change, adds to the list of possible symptoms. Trouble is, some of those symptoms might be mistaken for something else doing the rounds at the moment – hay fever. So how can […]

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has flown a plane into a hurricane to learn about these tropical storms. Advertisement NOAA regularly makes flights inside hurricanes to monitor them and make predictions about their progress. Using two aircraft – nicknamed “Kermit” and “Miss Piggy” – the hurricane specialists take data from inside the eye […]

Brains may be the secret to humankind’s success as a species, but in the animal world there’s nothing sexier than brute force. In many cases, only the mightiest specimens ever get the chance to mate, making brawn an essential characteristic. But which creatures are stronger than the proverbial ox? Advertisement The biggest of brutes From […]

A new kind of scaffold for lab-grown meat might be able to give the cultured proteins the taste of real meat, according to new research out of South Korea. Advertisement Despite much fanfare, it’s fair to say that cultured meat – that is, animal products that were grown in a lab rather than on a […]

Despite their popularity, public knowledge of the brainy capabilities of goldfish (Carassius auratus) is limited. They are among the most popular freshwater aquarium fish species, and yet many people are unaware of their surprisingly sharp memories. So, if you think goldfish are just swimming around mindlessly, think again! Advertisement The common misconception is that goldfish […]

A deadly disease for baby Asian elephants is the target for an mRNA vaccine that has been administered to an elephant for the first time. Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) is the number one killer for Asian elephant calves living under managed care in North America and Europe, and is a significant threat for free-ranging populations. […]

Scientists from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have concluded that talc, a mineral that’s used in a whole bunch of frequently used products, is “probably carcinogenic”. Advertisement “Carcinogenic” is a concerning word on the face of it – after all, it means the potential to cause cancer. But […]

A first-of-its-kind study has revealed that tampons contain toxic metals, including arsenic and lead. The “concerning” finding could mean that potentially millions of people are at risk of adverse health effects. Advertisement According to the study, between 52 and 86 percent of people in the US who menstruate use tampons, generally for hours at a […]

Along with their attitude toward tipping waiters, variations in language are one of the biggest differences between Americans and Brits. Despite their overwhelming similarities, they still can’t agree on how to spell colour/color – and let’s not even begin to discuss whether the world’s most popular sport is called football or soccer. So, when did […]

Once upon a time, all humans on Earth had brown eyes until a single person had a genetic mutation affecting the OCA2 gene, perhaps as recently as 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. The chance mutation impacted the production of melanin pigment in the iris, giving rise to lighter shades of eyes, from amber and hazel to […]

The rights of the Machángara River in Ecuador have been violated and measures to decontaminate it must be implemented right away, a court has ruled, after an action was filed in the hope of safeguarding the river and its sources against pollution. The river runs through the Metropolitan District of Quito, the country’s capital. Advertisement […]

Creatures of the deep dark ocean come in all shapes and sizes, but until now only one species of vampire squid has been known to be cruising along down there. However, Vampyroteuthis infernalis – which was discovered in 1903 – has now been joined by a second member of the genus, called Vampyroteuthis pseudoinfernalis, collected […]