Laura Clark

Laura Clark

 

Laura Clark is a writer and editor based in Pittsburgh. She's a blogger with Smart News and a senior editor at Pitt magazine.

Save the Birds By Embarrassing Your Cat

Outfitting cats in colorful collars may be one key to preventing them from effectively preying on birds and other small animals

A lithograph depicting an ancient Egyptian physician treating a patient for lockjaw. In the village of Deir el-Medina, this man may have still been paid while missing work.

Some Ancient Egyptians Had State-Sponsored Healthcare

Craftsmen who built royal tombs enjoyed sick days, designated physicians and rationed medicine—all paid by the state

Climbers in the Khumbu Icefall on Mount Everest.

Everest Climbers Now Prohibited From Taking One Deadly Route

Nepal announces that the Khumbu Icefall, where 16 sherpa were killed last year, is now off-limits

A black garden ant.

Ants Have Designated Toilet Areas in Their Nests

A new study shows that black garden ants have a relatively meticulous protocol for when nature calls

How “Learned Deafness” Might be Letting Noise Pollution Win

The world may be noisier than ever but one scientist warns that our attempts to blot out the sound may cost us dearly

A cross section of a polymetalic deep sea nodule of manganese and cobalt discovered on a previous expedition.

An Underwater Field of Weird Metal Balls Is a Key to Both Past And Future

A huge deposit of manganese nodules beneath the Atlantic might be a potential source of highly prized rare earth metals

This Teeny Chair Can Assemble Itself

A tiny prototype developed at MIT marks one of the first steps into a world where we’ll never need an Allen wrench again

Finally, the First Fish Ever Is Taken Off the Endangered Species List

The recovery of a tiny fish signals good news for area waterways and proof that, when heeded, protective measures can make a difference

A visitor to MoMA views Jackson Pollock's painting "One (Number 31, 1950)"

A Computer Can Tell Real Jackson Pollocks From Fakes

Genuine Pollacks really are distinguishable from random splatters of paint—there's now software to prove it

The common ancestor of this Gentoo penguin likely evolved to be incapable of tasting most flavors—but why?

The Cold May Have Cost Penguins Most of Their Taste Buds

Recent genetic analysis shows that penguins can’t taste sweet or bitter, and scientists think sub-zero temps may be to blame

The Inventor Who Has Developed a Sweet-Smelling "Fart Pill"

One eccentric French man wants to take the guilt out of gas with a tablet designed to make farts smell like flowers, ginger or chocolate

Get Ready for a Taste of the Byzantine Empire’s Favorite Wine

Scientists hope the discovery of 1,500-year-old grape seeds may help resurrect the historically famous “Wine of the Negev”

'Presidents’ Day' Doesn't Actually Exist

Despite what furniture stores and car dealerships tell you, officially, we’re really just celebrating George Washington’s birthday

Teachers Give Lower Math Scores to Girls

Teachers’ unconscious beliefs in the aptitude of boys over girls come out when grading math tests

Men Care More About Having Fancy Kitchens Than Women Do

A survey of prospective homebuyers reverses certain stereotypes about gendered desires

Tourist Trash Has Changed the Color of Yellowstone’s Morning Glory Pool

Researchers have found proof of what caused a hot spring’s drastic color modification—it's people, of course

Abraham Lincoln in the year of his death, 1865.

The Group That’s Been Celebrating Lincoln’s Birth for Almost 150 Years

The Lincoln Association of Jersey City claims it has the longest record of celebrating Lincoln’s legacy

What Makes Some Orca Whales Love a Good Belly Rub?

Some pods have been observed rubbing themselves on rocky beaches; scientists are still working to understand why

The red fox is among two European imports that researchers say play a big part in the loss of some of Australia's native species.

One-Tenth of Native Mammals in Australia Are Extinct: Blame Cats And Foxes

No other country on Earth has lost a greater proportion of land mammals over the last two centuries; now, a new study zeros in on the cause

Why 2015 Is Shaping Up to Be Another Good Year for Snowy Owls

Ornithologists are tracking the second major snowy owl southern migration in as many years, indicating that the birds’ numbers are still going strong

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