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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 […]

Sexting has previously been linked to an increase in mental health problems for teenagers, but a new study challenges this idea. It argues that efforts to reduce sexting among adolescents may not help prevent mental health issues after all. Advertisement Anyone who has gone through their teenage years will likely remember how formative and complex […]

Within the oldest crystals in the world, collected from Western Australia’s Jack Hills, lie the remnants of even older rocks – some of which were reprocessed through magma into the surviving crystals. With the help of machine learning, geologists have revealed that a third of these primeval rocks were sedimentary. This means that more than […]

Life was a wild ride for crocodiles in Ancient Egypt. As the Nile’s most iconic predator, the scaly beasts were the focus of a bizarre cult that saw them worshiped, spoiled rotten, and sacrificed, although it has taken thousands of years for researchers to figure out how the revered reptiles were lured from their natural […]

The JWST has detected the presence of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the atmosphere of the planet HD 189733b, a nearby “hot Jupiter”. Already off the colonization list for being twice as hot as Venus and presumably having no solid surface to land on, HD 189733b can now add the smell of rotten eggs to its […]

Remarkable rare footage has been captured of pygmy blue whales in the waters of Timor-Leste, revealing for the first time what it looks like when they try to win a mate – and when they empty their bowels. It comes following a decade-long citizen science project in the region that’s famous for its whale sightings. […]

You do not want to end up on the business end of a skunk. These black and white animals look incredibly cute on the surface, but with a flick of the tail, they can unleash an almighty stench that lingers for days if you don’t know how to get it off. Advertisement As a defense […]

An unexpected feature of the room students sit their exams in may have an impact on their results, new research has found: a high ceiling.  Advertisement Generally in school and higher education, students are taught in small rooms or lecture halls and study alone in normal-sized rooms. But come exam day, due to the high […]

By 2100, more than 75 million people are likely to be living in places where the groundwater is too hot to drink, according to a new study. Groundwater temperatures are forecast to rise by up to 3.5°C (6.3°F) by the end of the century, which would mean they exceed the highest threshold set for drinking water […]

“Scorching temperatures” and “Death Valley” are two terms that aren’t particularly surprising to see together, but a record-breaking, long-running heatwave that’s currently baking the western US has taken the notoriously hot region to near-world record extremes over the last week. Advertisement Temperatures in the aptly named Furnace Creek – which holds the (sometimes disputed) title […]