SCIENCE

Garbage disposals use centrical force to pulverize food

Keep Your Garbage Disposal Working Efficiently With These Everyday Kitchen Items

Over time, garbage disposals begin to wear down. Here are some easy ways to keep your system working smoothly.

Pyrite, or fool's gold, has fooled us once again.

Irony Alert: Fool’s Gold Actually Contains Real Gold

The metal known as pyrite fooled gold rush enthusiasts in the 1800s, but it turns out the material may contain gold after all.

6 Common Misconceptions About Flying

We're nosediving into all things flight-related and debunking several widespread myths about the (very safe) mode of travel.

Pallavi Padukone with her citronella-scented textile.

"Reminiscent": How One Designer Used Scented Textiles to Capture the Fragrances of Home

For her project 'Reminiscent,' designer Pallavi Padukone infused textiles with smells that remind her of people and places from her home in India.

Stephen Hawking at Cambridge's Emmanuel College in 2013.

Cambridge University Is Hiring an Archivist to Catalog 160 Boxes of Stephen Hawking’s Work

After Stephen Hawking’s death, Cambridge University announced plans to house his whole archive. Now, they need someone to help them organize it.

Chicken nuggets gained worldwide popularity via McDonald's, but their invention began with a poultry and food science science professor at Cornell University.

Who Invented Chicken Nuggets?

In 1981, McDonald's introduced the Chicken McNugget to the world and changed the face of bite-sized poultry bits forever. But it never would have happened if it hadn't been for food and poultry scientist Robert C. Baker.

Jaws of St-eel: Snowflake Moray Eels Use Their Extendable Jaws to Swallow Prey on Land

Crabs, be warned: Sticking to the coast may not keep you safe from the pharyngeal jaws of a snowflake moray eel.

Wind Resistance: Do Charcoal Fart Pads Actually Work?

There are charcoal pads that purport to reduce the odor of a ripping toot, but does the flatulent science support it?

Why Does Grass Make Us Itch?

The inviting green stuff is supposed to bring us closer to nature. Instead, grass creates a stinging, itchy sensation. What gives?

Scientists Are Unlocking the Mysteries of an Echidna’s Fancy, Four-Headed Penis

An echidna’s penis doesn’t have to excrete any urine, which may help explain why it’s fancier than a human’s.

An illustration of what Australotitan cooperensis may have looked like.

Meet 'Cooper,' a Recently Discovered Sauropod Believed to Be Australia’s Largest Dinosaur Species

Sauropod dinosaurs are known for their impressive size—and Australia’s newly discovered species doesn’t disappoint.

Flipping the pages of a book may trigger ASMR in some people.

22 Fascinating Facts About ASMR

Here's what you need to know about the brain-tingling phenomenon ASMR, or Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.

This man has never gotten a vaccine for the common cold. He's being a bit dramatic about it.

Why Isn't There a Vaccine for the Common Cold?

Science has done some incredible things, but finding a cure for the leaky sniffles has proven elusive.

The chocolate frog on a very green leaf.

Scientists Have Identified a New ‘Chocolate Frog’ Species

We simply have to assume that at least one researcher made some reference to Harry Potter’s chocolate frogs when they found it.

Astronaut Scott Kelly gets a delivery of fresh fruit while on board the International Space Station in 2015.

Gastronauts: A History of Eating in Space

Without microwaves, ovens, or refrigerators, food in space can be challenging both to prepare and to consume. Especially cheesecake.

A female ruby-throated hummingbird headed for her next meal.

Watch Mélanie Barboni, the Geologist Known as ‘The Hummingbird Whisperer,’ in Action

One hummingbird feeder and a single thirsty visitor soon grew to four feeders and more than 200 hummingbird guests.

You’re Grinding Your Coffee Too Finely—Science Says So

If you grind your coffee beans too finely, you may not be getting the most out of the product, according to one study.

Why Does the Sun Make Hair Lighter?

If you get natural blond highlights in the summer, your hair may be damaged by too much exposure to the sun.

What Would Actually Happen If You Drank Saltwater?

You might think drinking seawater would be better than drinking no water at all. Your kidneys would beg to differ.

In the Crosshairs: Why the Forensic Science of Hair Analysis Isn't Foolproof

For more than two centuries, police have investigated crimes using microscopic hair analysis. But this forensic method isn’t foolproof—and in some cases, it’s led to tragedy.

9 Fascinating Facts About Urine

You might think that urine is just bodily waste—but you would be wrong. It's been used in cleansers, medicine, and infertility treatments for centuries.

Science Shows Cats Love Even Imaginary Boxes

Breaking new cat research proves that a cat will settle in on a square drawn on the floor. Why? Because it's a cat.

American doctor and epidemiologist Jonas Salk, who developed the first vaccine against poliomyelitis, looks on as a colleague gives the injection to a woman.

11 Vaccine Pioneers You Should Know

From eradicating smallpox to battling the COVID-19 pandemic, these vaccine pioneers have helped make colossal strides in public health.

A fox near the Chernobyl power plant in 2017.

Chernobyl May Not Be Habitable for Humans for Another 24,000 Years, But Wildlife Is Thriving

Rare animal species in Chernobyl, from lynxes to wild horses, seem to be weathering all that radiation relatively well.

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