Six Surprising Facts About Spiderwebs
Intricate, strong, and rapidly-built, spider webs are more amazing even than they first appear. For a construction job done right, get a spider to do it.
A Dead Fish “Vitamin Pill,” Microbes that Put Dinner on the Table, and a Truck that Runs On Cow Manure
From microbial biochemistry to recycling dead fish to manure-to-energy converters, here’s this week’s most surprising sustainability news.
Before the Civil War, Women Were Welcomed into the Sciences
Women in the STEM fields are reclaiming the memory of a richer scientific past than some might think.
An Eclipse is a Scientific Bonanza
On August 21, 2017, North America’s first total solar eclipse in a while will cross the center of the United States from East to West.
Solar Eclipse Tourism: The Victorians Were the Pioneers
People have been planning for this month's total solar eclipse for years. They aren't the first to do so: the Victorians pioneered eclipse tourism.
The Story Behind “The Parisian Water-Carrier”
Who was the "Parisian water-carrier" depicted in eighteenth-century French sculptor Edme Bouchardon’s sketches, and how did he earn his living?
Are Male and Female Brains Actually Different?
No study, even those finding strong differences, has ever found differences in cognitive ability between male and female brains.
The Secrets of Jupiter’s Incredible Great Red Spot
Astronomers have worked out that Jupiter's Great Red Spot is a massive storm system, but what keeps a storm going for hundreds of years?
Crows Are Even Smarter Than We Thought
If crows like the New Caledonian Crow can plan out and create a specialized tool, then they seem to have smarts that rival those of early humans.
West Coast Infernos, Midday Mudslides, and the Little Cool Beans that Might Save the World
Wildfires and public health, predicting floods, and substituting beans for beef were top stories in environmental news this week.