News

They might look pretty, but Callery pear trees are an invasive species in the US and have the potential to cause chaos in the local ecosystem. But perhaps worst of all, they really, really stink.  Callery pear trees, also known as Bradford pear trees, are an ornamental tree that’s been in the country for just over […]

Tattoos found on the face and arm of an ancient South American mummy are completely unlike any other known examples of ancient body art. Describing the tatts in a new study, researchers say the designs are unique not only in their composition, but also in the type of ink that was used to create them. […]

A decade ago, researchers found what was considered the best evidence for the flow of very salty water on Mars: the occasional formation of dark streaks on the sides of dunes. The possibility of water plays a huge role in the possibility of life, so for a decade, scientists have been checking, double-checking, arguing, and […]

Surgeons in the US have successfully performed the first human bladder transplant. The surgery, which was completed at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center on May 4, marks a “historic moment in medicine”, the team behind it says. Bladder transplants are already an incredibly complex procedure, hindered further by the complicated vascular structure of the pelvic […]

There’s still much to uncover about Egypt’s pyramids. For example, what lies within the massive void sealed inside the Great Pyramid of Giza 4,500 years ago? And how, exactly, were the building materials transported to the site before construction began? Let’s start with the basics: how many sides does the Great Pyramid of Giza – […]

Rubber is naturally white, so why are car tires black? According to Bridgestone, a Japanese manufacturing company, this wasn’t always the case. Car tyres used to be white but the addition of carbon black has become routine because it improves durability.  Carbon black is almost (97 percent) pure carbon. It is created during a process […]

It’s not hard to see why China’s life-size terracotta army might earn the unofficial moniker “eighth wonder of the world”. The 8,000-strong militia is a testament to exceptional craftsmanship and collaboration on a vast scale, not to mention the strength of one man’s dedication to the quest for eternal life.  The 2,200-year-old monument lies northeast […]

Paprika, and its more flavorful cousin, smoked paprika, shows up in everything from paella to paprika tea. You’d think most people would have at least a rough idea of what it’s made from. But according to a slew of recent internet revelations, that assumption would be very wrong. In a post by Australian food company […]

This week, Homo naledi – the extinct human species of Netflix fame – had hands that were partially adapted to climbing, new research has revealed. Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the US health secretary, says people shouldn’t take medical advice from him, and for the first time ever, visible aurorae have been seen from the surface […]

The Denisova Cave is the site of one of the most important crossroads in the history of humans. Not only does the cave contain evidence of Homo sapiens and Neanderthals, but for several years it was the only place where remains were found of our lesser-known cousins: the Denisovans. The cave even features remains of related hybrids, indicating […]

From ‘beige flags’ to the five love languages, social media is a vast wellspring of dating advice, not all of which holds under scientific scrutiny. One should always be wary of taking strangers’ advice at face value. Saying that, there may be some wisdom to be gleaned from the 2-2-2 rule that has been circulating […]

A family returned from a vacation in Costa Rica with more than just memories after contracting histoplasmosis, a potentially lethal lung infection caused by inhaling fungal spores found in bat droppings. The incident has been subject to an investigation by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with medical practitioners now linking the infections […]

Turkeys often find themselves at the center of our plates, much like many other domesticated birds classified as poultry. We rely on these animals for a range of products, from bedding and clothing to, most commonly, food. Eggs, in particular, are a staple in many diets. But it got us thinking: why don’t we eat […]

If vegetables had personalities, then onions would probably be one of the more ambiguous examples in your kitchens. Sure, mushrooms may be social climbers, while carrots and peas are just a bit basic, but nothing compares to onions’ potential for treachery. It’s so versatile, goes well with so many meals, but preparing it can lead […]

Many areas of physics seem counterintuitive, with well-known examples like wave-particle duality and time dilation. But you may feel like you have a pretty intuitive understanding of fairly simple macro objects, for instance, a pole. So here’s a question; when you take a long metal pole and push it at one end, how long does […]

The volcanic activity and tectonic splitting of the East African Rift Valley is probably driven by activity deep within the Earth, a new study reveals, starting where the core meets the mantle. The work contradicts the hypothesis that the rift is the result of smaller distinct plumes with shallower origins. The first humans didn’t know […]

If you pay any attention to the world around you, you are likely aware of how deciduous trees shed leaves, pollen, seeds, fruits, and yet more pollen into the world around them. Nature, and the process of evolution, has come up with ingenious ways for trees to spread their seeds around far and wide. These […]

KSI vs. Fury? Tyson vs. Paul? Forget about those – we’ve got a much more exciting tussle to show you, where the fighting ring is the bush floor of one of New Zealand’s oldest island sanctuaries and the competitors are two of its most iconic, but vulnerable species. In the blue corner, we have the […]

It’s not unusual to see elk in Estes Park, a Colorado town shadowed by the Rocky Mountains. As of late, however, there’s one elk in particular that’s been catching people’s eyes, thanks to its rare – and very pretty – coloring. The female elk (also known as a cow – yes, really) in question doesn’t […]

Where does the Sun end and the Solar System begin? The answer is not clear-cut. The Sun’s atmosphere – the corona – extends far into space, and its processes shape the solar wind that streams in interplanetary space, affecting planets, moons, and more. To better study these interactions, NASA launched a mission made up of […]