New Research

Why Eye Contact Makes You Squirm

Catching someone else's eye makes us more self conscious about our bodies

Children wade through flood waters in northern India in July 2013.

Which of 2013’s Many Natural Disasters Can We Blame on Climate Change?

The ongoing California drought may, or may not, be due to climate change

Wildlife Around the World Has Declined by About 50 Percent Since 1970

Fish, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles are disappearing quickly

African-American Girls Are More Likely To Be Suspended Or Expelled

Among other measures that illustrate education barriers, African American girls are twice as likely to be held back a grade

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This Is How the Milky Way Will End

A computer simulation shows how the Milky Way will collide with Andromeda

Using Natural Gas Will Only Delay Renewable Energy

Analysis of a range of climate policies reveals that a gas boom might lead to only a slight reduction in emissions

More Women Have Reproduced Than Men

A new study shows that more women than men have contributed to the human gene pool

Bubbles of Plasma in Space May Have Cost U.S. Lives in Afghanistan

New analysis reveals that unusual space weather may have scrambled radio signals and sent a rescue mission awry

Americans See Scientists As Smart, But Not Trustworthy

Scientists, along with lawyers and engineers, are viewed as competent but lacking in warmth

Buck moth caterpillars are the bane of the New Orleans spring.

Caterpillars Beware: Venom Won’t Protect You From Clueless Baby Birds

Young birds will dumbly peck at anything that crawls their way—even if it winds up teaching them a painful lesson

How Conversations Around Campfire Might Have Shaped Human Cognition And Culture

We can perhaps thank campfire story time for getting us where we are today

Why We Shouldn't Worry About Growing Plants With Recycled Water

Trace amounts of common pharmaceuticals show up in crops grown with recycled water, but not as much as you'd think

Waking Up During Anesthesia Can Have Long-Lasting Effects

Half of people who reported waking up from anesthesia suffered lasting psychological trauma

A radioactive forest in Chernobyl.

The Risks of Fire Around Chernobyl

Radioactive forest litter that has accumulated for the past 28 years could fuel massive blazes in the future

Dreams Escalate in Weirdness As the Night Wears On

Early in the night our dreams are grounded in reality, but by the end, anything goes

A totally realistic portrayal of what it's like to slip on a banana peel.

The Physics of Slipping on a Banana Peel, And Other Weird, Ig Nobel Science

Banana peels may be the secret to better prosthetics

Even People With Locked-In Syndrome Respond to Hitchcock Movies

The brain of a patient in a vegetative state responded to a movie the same way as healthy people

Human Activities Aren't the Cause of Chimpanzees' Murderous Tendencies

A new study shows that humans are not responsible for murder amongst Chimpanzees

Artificial Sweeteners May Be Screwing Up How Your Body Handles Sugar

By affecting gut microbes, artificial sweeteners may be messing with your metabolism

The skeleton of Richard III

Richard III Suffered Severe Head Wounds in Battle

Analysis of the skeleton revels that he was likely not wearing a helmet when he died

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