Science
Discover facts about science. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Science
Each of your eyes has a hole in its view that you usually miss.
Each of your eyes has a hole in its view that you usually miss. Where the optic nerve exits the retina, there are no light-detecting cells. A small object can…
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Ocean is more than waves—it’s a gigantic lung.
Ocean is more than waves—it’s a gigantic lung. Tiny phytoplankton photosynthesize, taking in carbon dioxide and releasing roughly half of Earth’s oxygen. Much…
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We often picture evolution as survival of the strongest, but biology tells a richer story: survival of the cooperative.
We often picture evolution as survival of the strongest, but biology tells a richer story: survival of the cooperative. Coral animals shelter algae inside…
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Mars is known as the Red Planet, but scientists recently discovered patches of glass-like minerals scattered across its surface.
Mars is known as the Red Planet, but scientists recently discovered patches of glass-like minerals scattered across its surface. A meteorite impact can melt…
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If you drop below 200 meters into the ocean, sunlight fades almost entirely—and that’s where nature invents its own glow.
If you drop below 200 meters into the ocean, sunlight fades almost entirely—and that’s where nature invents its own glow. Some animals make light when…
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Your brain produces electricity all the time, tiny sparks firing between billions of nerve cells.
Your brain produces electricity all the time, tiny sparks firing between billions of nerve cells. A brain-computer interface records those signals and learns…
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Dreams have long seemed mysterious, but neuroscience shows they're raw material for creativity.
Dreams have long seemed mysterious, but neuroscience shows they're raw material for creativity. During sleep, the brain can recombine pieces of memory instead…
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Air in your home is alive, chemically speaking.
Air in your home is alive, chemically speaking. Microbes in potting soil can break down some VOCs—chemicals that evaporate from everyday materials. But a…
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Human eye perceives only a sliver of the electromagnetic spectrum, known as visible light.
Human eye perceives only a sliver of the electromagnetic spectrum, known as visible light. Bees can follow ultraviolet markings on flowers to nectar, while…
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Bees are more than honey-makers; they are master pollinators.
Bees are more than honey-makers; they are master pollinators. As a bee visits flowers, pollen sticks to its body and gets carried to the next bloom, helping…
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Your brain is an oxygen-hungry organ, and though it’s only about 2% of your body weight, it devours nearly 20% of the oxygen you breathe.
Your brain is an oxygen-hungry organ, and though it’s only about 2% of your body weight, it devours nearly 20% of the oxygen you breathe. At altitude, the…
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In the late 1800s, a brilliant Swedish scientist named Svante Arrhenius made a startling prediction.
In the late 1800s, a brilliant Swedish scientist named Svante Arrhenius made a startling prediction. Carbon dioxide lets much of the Sun’s light in but…
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Earth once went through a phase known as Snowball Earth, when glaciers spread so far they coated continents closer to the equator.
Earth once went through a phase known as Snowball Earth, when glaciers spread so far they coated continents closer to the equator. When the ice retreated,…
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In deep mud at the bottom of rivers, tiny bacteria are quietly pulling off an energy trick humans dream about.
In deep mud at the bottom of rivers, tiny bacteria are quietly pulling off an energy trick humans dream about. As they break down organic matter, some send…
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There’s a gene that decides whether cilantro tastes like soap.
There’s a gene that decides whether cilantro tastes like soap. OR6A2 can influence sensitivity to aldehydes, some of the same kinds of molecules found in both…
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Humans have an in-built GPS, but it doesn’t rely on satellites—it’s powered by cells called place cells and grid cells in the brain.
Humans have an in-built GPS, but it doesn’t rely on satellites—it’s powered by cells called place cells and grid cells in the brain. Place cells fire in…
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A Mars home may need a roof made of shielding material.
A Mars home may need a roof made of shielding material. Mars lacks Earth's thick atmosphere and global magnetic protection, leaving crews exposed to more…
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Bitterness is a warning system that makes plenty of false alarms.
Bitterness is a warning system that makes plenty of false alarms. Some plant defenses taste bitter, which makes detecting bitterness useful to an animal…
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Carbon is not the villain—it’s a misplaced resource.
Carbon is not the villain—it’s a misplaced resource. Capturing CO₂ does not automatically keep it out of the climate story: turning it into fuel takes energy,…
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Your immune system doesn’t only fight germs—it has secret conversations with your emotions.
Your immune system doesn’t only fight germs—it has secret conversations with your emotions. When immune cells release cytokines during an infection, some of…
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We like to believe decisions are fuelled by pure logic, but your brain has a hidden partner: emotion.
We like to believe decisions are fuelled by pure logic, but your brain has a hidden partner: emotion. Feelings mark possible outcomes as appealing or risky,…
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Silence isn’t always golden—sometimes a steady hum is better.
Silence isn’t always golden—sometimes a steady hum is better. At about 70 decibels—the bustle of a café—background noise may encourage abstract thinking,…
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Roman Empire may have expanded not just because of politics, but because of the weather.
Roman Empire may have expanded not just because of politics, but because of the weather. Tree rings and lake sediments preserve clues about past rainfall and…
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If you’ve seen a plant wilting in the sun, you’ve witnessed its silent cry: water shortages under heat.
If you’ve seen a plant wilting in the sun, you’ve witnessed its silent cry: water shortages under heat. Leaves also release water vapor into the air, where it…
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