News

Whether it’s in response to a chill in the air or an especially tasteful guitar solo, it’s often thought that goosebumps are largely out of our conscious control — but that might not always be the case. Some people possess the unusual ability to control their goosebumps at will, flicking them on and off like a […]

You’ve probably been told at some point that oil is made from dinosaurs, thinking that when you are at a gas station you are pumping refined velociraptor directly into your Volvo. As widespread as the belief is, it’s not true. Oil is not made from the decomposed bodies of ancient dinosaurs.  “For some strange reason, […]

The idea of a red apple doesn’t seem all that unusual – unless we’re talking about its color inside. Whilst most apples have off-white flesh (and hopefully, a satisfying crispness), slice into a Mountain Rose or Redlove apple and you’ll find insides with a bright and vivid red. But why do some apples possess such […]

After receiving regulatory approval earlier this week, SpaceX is about to attempt a second launch for its Starship rocket. With a problem-laden first attempt, only a 20-minute window to launch, and the hopes of the next Moon landing in the balance, the stakes are higher than ever. The rocket is scheduled to lift off from […]

The Gulf of Mexico is home to a wealth of oil and gas rigs, fishing boats, shipping lanes – and one of the most endangered whale species in the world. Only 51 Rice’s whales remain and, according to experts and conservation groups, bringing them back from the brink of extinction means that human activities in […]

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to [email protected]. Why does Swiss cheese have holes? – Owen F., age 13, Belmont, Massachusetts There are thousands of kinds of cheese, each with its own color, shape, nutritional value, flavor and […]

Just over 80 years ago, an American bomber plane, co-piloted by 2nd Lt Gilbert Haldeen Myers, was shot down over Sicily, Italy. Nowhere to be found after the crash, Myers was declared missing in action. Now, using specialist forensic techniques, Myers has finally been accounted for. The plane holding the 27-year-old Myers and five crewmates […]

We’ve all seen it in movies and on TV. The witness watches from behind a two-way mirror while a line of potential perps files into a room. They turn to the left, then to the right, and maybe one or two of them step forward for a closer look. Then the million-dollar question: are any […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]