1462 Items Tagged

Science

Podcast: Tree of 40 Fruits

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.

The Podcast Team November 29, 2021

African baobabs—including the Big Tree—can live more than a thousand years.

How Old Is Zimbabwe’s Famed ‘Big Tree’?

The majestic African baobab has seen several growth spurts over its 1,200 or so years.

Jonathan Moens November 26, 2021

Sea otters, once hunted by humans for their fur and now adored for their cuteness, may be key to saving entire ecosystems.

Otter-ly Adorable Climate Change Warriors May Save California's Coastal Ecosystems

Too-cute sea otters are ravenous predators that feast on purple urchins and other destructive species.

Matt Simon November 22, 2021

The Last Venezuelan Glacier team examines the recently exposed areas just below the Humboldt's glacier edge in 2019, more than 15,000 feet of elevation.

Studying New Life in the Shadow of Venezuela's Last Glacier

When ice goes, lichens and mosses move in and an entirely new ecosystem starts to take shape.

Jonathan Moens November 18, 2021

London, England

King’s Observatory

Built by George III to observe the transit of Venus, this Georgian gem is a unique survivor in the Arcadian landscape of Richmond upon Thames.

A pummelo hybrid from the Givaudan Citrus Variety Collection.

The Magnificent Orchards That Protect the World's Fruit

Thank these repositories for new and improved citrus, avocados, and more.

Alex Mayyasi November 16, 2021

This 1618 engraving by Matthaeus Merian the Elder depicts the alchemical universe with the Philosopher's Stone at its center.

How Scholars Cracked a Medieval Alchemist’s Secret Code

Written in a puzzling Latin cipher, it contains his formula for eternal life.

Sarah Durn November 11, 2021

A Puerto Rican rock frog has a number of adaptations for cave living, including large eyes.

Puerto Rico's Most Adorable Frogs Live in Caves and Fight Like 'Gummy Bears'

For one biologist studying the rock frogs' behavior, safeguarding their habitat is personal.

Hannah Thomasy November 9, 2021

Dark dust devil trails crisscross frigid dunes and gullies in the southern highlands of Mars.

Massive Dust Devils Leave Their Mark Across Eerie Dunes

Often associated with Earth’s hottest places, these whirling columns show up on all seven continents—and beyond.

Gemma Tarlach November 5, 2021

In Antarctica, the aptly-named icefish survives extreme cold thanks to an unusual suite of anatomical oddities.

The Evolutionary Quirk That Allows Antarctica's Icefish To Survive Extreme Cold

Unique adaptations allow the ambush predator to thrive in an environment that would kill most other organisms.

Bill Schutt November 4, 2021

A multidisciplinary research team believes a catastrophic impact event may have inspired the Biblical story of the destruction of Sodom.

Is an Asteroid to Blame for the Biblical Story of Sodom?

A massive space rock impact event may have inspired the tale of godly wrath.

Christopher R. Moore November 1, 2021

According to the Musée de l'Homme in Paris and many historians and forensic experts, this is the skull of French philosopher René Descartes. Swedish researchers disagree.

Was René Descartes a Victim of Skull Blasting?

Centuries after the philosopher’s death, lingering controversy over his remains highlights a macabre practice of profiting from the dead.

Gemma Tarlach October 25, 2021

The Hyrtl Skull Collection isn't just medical history. Scientists continue to study the bones today.

anatomy museums

The Eventful Afterlife of a Crowd of 19th-Century Skulls

Philadelphia’s famed anatomy showplace, the Mütter Museum, gets a facelift.

April White October 18, 2021

Podcast: The World’s Quietest Room

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.

The Podcast Team October 18, 2021

Durham, North Carolina

Durham's Hidden Dinosaur

Don't be surprised if you see a long-necked dinosaur peeking out from among the trees in Northgate Park.

The Glanville fritillary is common throughout most of Europe and parts of northern Africa.

These Butterflies Full of Wasps Full of Microwasps Are a Science Nightmare

Accidentally released on a Finnish island 30 years ago, the parasites are spreading.

Patrick Barkham October 11, 2021

Podcast: The Scarpetta House

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.

The Podcast Team October 5, 2021

Podcast: Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.

The Podcast Team October 4, 2021