SCIENCE

A spectacled flying-fox bat in Australia.

7 Misconceptions About Bats

If you're worried that a bat is looking to swoop down at any given moment and suck down a few pints of your precious blood, we've got really great news for you.

Microwaved Tea Really Does Taste Bad—Here's Why

Tea really does taste better when it's made with a kettle instead of a microwave. Here's the science behind the phenomenon.

An image of Earth from 1 million miles away snapped on July 6, 2015 by a camera on NASA's Deep Space Climate Observatory spacecraft.

100 Facts About Earth

How much do you know about the blue marble we call home? From how our planet formed to just how many species there are, here are 100 things you need to know about Earth.

Why Does Fake Jewelry Turn Your Skin Green?

Learning how to stop a ring from turning your finger green is easy. So is understanding why it happens in the first place.

The Quest for the North Pole Bonus Episode 4: Live from Greenland

In the final bonus episode of The Quest for the North Pole, we travel to far northwestern Greenland to see the changing Arctic firsthand. Along the way, we'll see amazing wildlife, get frostbite, and realize how lucky we are not to be man-hauling thousand

100 Things We Learned in 2021

From really expensive NFTs to newly discovered shipwrecks to the latest developments in the world of K-Pop, here are a few things we learned in 2021.

Do Camels Really Store Water in Their Humps?

Where do camels store water? The humps may be the most obvious answer—but that doesn’t mean it’s correct.

Eumillipes persephone has legs and knows how to use them.

It's Official: With 1306 Legs, This Millipede Has the Most of Any Animal

Found 200 feet below ground in Australia, 'Eumillipes persephone' has 1306 legs to scamper around with.

Salvador Dalí used sleep to his creative benefit, and so can you.

This Napping Technique Used by Salvador Dalí and Thomas Edison Might Be Ideal for Creativity, According to Science

The method involves falling asleep only fleetingly, at which point your brain might be better prepared to tackle a creative problem. (Like a surrealist painting.)

Chimpanzees hang out in Gombe National Park.

9 Amazing Facts About Chimpanzees

Chimpanzees share about 98 percent of their genes with humans, but you wouldn't want to invite this side of the family over for dinner.

Young female Goliath bird-eating spider.

The World’s Largest Spider Is as Big as a Newborn Puppy

Measuring nearly a foot wide and weighing more than a third of a pound, the Goliath bird-eating spider is the largest spider in the world.

The Night Watch, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1642

Researchers Have Uncovered a Hidden Sketch in Rembrandt’s The Night Watch

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam has found a preliminary sketch of 'The Night Watch' the painter drew directly onto the canvas, giving us new insight into his creative process.

10 Fascinating Facts About Orangutans

Orangutans spend 95 percent of their lives in trees, and that's only one of these ginger-haired apes' unusual traits.

11 Fascinating Facts About Chipmunks

What do chipmunks eat? Baby birds, occasionally. Do chipmunks hibernate? Yes, but not like bears do.

5 Tips on How To Escape An Erupting Volcano

What’s worse: Lava or ash? And what are these rocks plummeting from the sky? Volcanologist Dr. Janine Krippner shared her tips for how to escape an erupting volcano.

Science is finally understanding the full extent of cat psychopathy.

Is Your Cat an Actual Psychopath? Take This Test and Find Out

Science supports what we've long suspected: Cats can exhibit psychopathic tendencies. This online test can measure just how dangerous they really are.

Scientists Captured Footage of the Rare—and Very Large—Phantom Jellyfish

The giant phantom jellyfish has been spotted roughly 100 times since it was discovered more than a century ago.

The Trigona species of bee, which includes bees of the meat-eating variety.

Don't Bee Alarmed, But Certain Bees Have Evolved to Feast on Meat

The 'vulture bee' found in Costa Rica can do pollen, but it also likes to dine out on rotting animal carcasses.

"No! You're the one who's not listening!"

Star 'Trossed Lovers: Albatrosses, Usually Mates for Life, Are Getting 'Divorced'

The albatross can remain with the same partner for decades, but changes in the environment are raising their "divorce" rates.

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Jeremy Schnittman

Experience What It’s Like to Fall Into a Black Hole With This 360-Degree VR Video

It's hard not to feel unsettled by this 360-degree VR video simulation of what it's like to get sucked into a black hole.

Are Zebras Black With White Stripes or White With Black Stripes?

What color are a zebra's stripes? Though it may sound like a philosophical query, it is possible to answer this question with science.

Two people can, however, look at the same photo of a rainbow.

Rainbow Disconnection: Why No Two People Can Ever See the Same Rainbow

How do rainbows form? It’s all about light waves, water, and angles—and that includes the angle from which you see one.

Nikola Tesla demonstrates alternating current (AC) in his lab in 1901.

20 of History’s Most Outrageous Scientific Feuds

History is rife with debate over fundamental aspects of existence—but sometimes, those feuds got a little out of hand. Here are 20 of the wildest scientific throwdowns.

Sleep isn't always as easy as babies make it look.

8 Facts About Insomnia

Vincent van Gogh’s favorite cure for insomnia was camphor. Don’t try that at home (or anywhere), kids.

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