Smart News

CRISPR Gene Editing Used to Treat Patient for the First Time

Chinese scientists injected a cancer patient with T-cells modified to attack tumor cells

November 17, 2016

This 6,000-Year-Old Amulet Is an Ancient Metal Marvel

Lost-wax casting is still used in modern manufacturing

November 17, 2016

Lend Me Your Ears: A Tale of Evolution From a 5,310-Year-Old Corn Cob

Corn has come a long way since its grassy beginnings

November 17, 2016

Collection of Fossilized Poo Certified as World's Largest

George Frandsen's 1,200-piece coprolite collection earns the Florida man a spot in Guinness World Records

November 17, 2016

A Brief History of the Racketeer Nickel

A fraudulent 5-cent piece dug up in Deadwood may not be very valuable, but its story is worth its weight in gold

November 17, 2016

Emissions from cars and other forms of transportation is one of the many sources of greenhouse gasses.

Global Emissions Plateaued for Three Consecutive Years. That Doesn't Mean We Can Relax.

Several recent studies provided a glimmer of hope, but these developments alone won't halt climate change

November 16, 2016

A closeup of Bernini's "The Elephant and the Obelisk" before it was damaged.

One of Rome’s Most Famous Sculptures Has Been Vandalized

Bernini’s “Elephant and Obelisk” is missing part of its tusk

November 16, 2016

Wernher von Braun, one of the architects of the Apollo program, was a Nazi scientist brought to the U.S. in secret in 1945.

Why the U.S. Government Brought Nazi Scientists to America After World War II

As the war came to a close, the U.S. government was itching to get ahold of the German wartime technology

November 16, 2016

The Colosseum Waits on Funding for Critical Repairs in the Fight Over Rome’s Subway System

Caretakers fear the row over the metro's overspending could endanger the ancient arena

November 16, 2016

What Cell Phone Grime Reveals About Lifestyle

Chemical traces left on cell phones show what people eat, what drugs they take and even what cosmetics they use

November 16, 2016

Meet the Zeptosecond, the Smallest Slice of Time Yet Recorded

Using an two types of lasers, researchers measured the ejection of helium electrons with previously unheard of precision

November 15, 2016

Spotted: one adventurous female panther.

Why Scientists Are Psyched About a River-Crossing Panther

This big cat is the first female thought to enter the area in over 40 years

November 15, 2016

American soldiers in Nimrud in 2008, with the Ziggurat in the background.

The Innovative Spirit fy17

ISIS Has Destroyed a Nearly 3,000-Year-Old Assyrian Ziggurat

The ziggurat of Nimrud was the ancient city’s central temple

November 15, 2016

An original Western Union stock ticker from the Oakland Museum of California.

The Physical Stock Ticker Is a Relic, But Its Influence Reverberates Loudly Today

On this day 149 years ago, the first digital transmitter debuted

November 15, 2016

Five Things to Know About Gwen Ifill

The late, great reporter turned curiosity into a career that changed journalism

November 14, 2016

These bikes won't just make it easier to get around Marrakech—they could also send a message to world leaders about ways to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

Africa Just Got Its First Bike Share Program

Now you can get around Marrakech on a fleet of bicycles—no air pollution needed

November 14, 2016

The Birmingham Central Mosque in the United Kingdom.

How Astronomy Cameras Are Helping British Muslims Schedule Morning Prayers

The cameras would help track exactly when the sun rises

November 14, 2016

Little People meant big fun for generations of imaginative kids.