A Moment of Science

Imagining and Seeing

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Neuroscientists have made important discoveries about imagination as an unexpected bonus from studying the parts of the cerebral cortex involved in vi...

Electrical Near death Experience

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Near death experiences often involve things like seeing a bright white light, or floating out of your body. Is there a scientific explanation for thes...

Saccadic Suppression

11 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever noticed that you can’t see your own eye movements?

Macrauchenia

10 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Charles Darwin said it was one of the strangest animals ever discovered.

Depressing Night Work

09 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the night shift worker, sleep happens during the day. How does this affect overall health?

Venutian Volcanoes

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Did scientists discover evidence of a volcanic eruption on Venus?

Why the Brain Has So Many Folds

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The human brain is an incredible thing, but honestly, it's not much to look at. Just a big, gray, foldy lump. Why does the brain look a lot like a scr...

Mistletoe's Missing Genes

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Scientists at Indiana University discovered the first plant or animal that lacks several genes involved in energy production in cells.

"Never" Events

03 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Doctors have a term for mistakes. They call them "never" events, as in things that should never, ever happen

Fish on Drugs

02 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Wastewater often contains trace amounts of drug products. Fish living in such drug laced rivers end up paying a price.

Facebook and Loneliness

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is it detrimental to your health to constantly update your Facebook status?

A Remedy for the Runs

28 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Here's the "scoop": Doctors have been having remarkable success with a rather unconventional type of treatment: fecal transplantation.

The Rest is Gravy

27 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Time to make turkey gravy! You can use flour or cornstarch as the thickening agent. Does it make a difference which you choose? How do thickeners thic...

Birds of a Feather Flock Together

26 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Isn't it interesting how some people's personalities are extremely constant while others change based on the situation? Animals are no different!

Liquid Sunshine

25 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Radium was a popular health additive at the time of its discovery. What were they thinking?

Wanted: Yellowstone Beavers

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In the late 90's wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park to help cull the elk population. But there was still one problem: beavers.

Lights, Music, Calories

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How does restaurant ambiance affect how much we eat?

The Future of Bananas

20 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that 99% of bananas sold are of one variety, the Cavendish? And this fact is not good for prosperity.

When It's Worth It to Be Awake

19 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ever had to stay up late to cram for that exam? Wouldn’t it be nice to borrow the amazing sleep-deprivation powers of the male pectoral sandpiper?

Express Anger, Lower Blood Pressure

18 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why is it that Italians and Spaniards live two years longer on average than people who live in England?

Superb Fairy-wrens Learn to Eavesdrop

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did these birds learn to recognize the warning calls of other birds?

Real Lightsabers?

14 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What’s the status on the development of real-life lightsabers? Is it possible?

Adapting to Starvation

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Did a famine in 1944 cause changes in the genes of an entire generation?

Changing the Gene with Meditation

12 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers from the United States and Spain found in one study that mindfulness may not only affect your mood, it may affect your genes

Diet Soda Depression

11 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It might not surprise you to learn that drinking a lot of sugary soda can make one prone to depression. Is diet soda an exception?

Dehydration

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you were to stop drinking water right now, how long could you live?

Why Toddlers Can't Learn from a Screen

07 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tablets are a great distraction, but probably not the best learning tool.

High Altitude Genes

06 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

At higher altitudes, it can be much harder to breathe. Unless you’re a local.

Cold Nose Cows

05 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A cow with a cold nose might just have the blues.

The Giant Weta Weighs In

04 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The giant weta is a grasshopper-type insect from New Zealand. It might be the heaviest insect.

The Genetics of the Hangover

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why is it that some people never seem to get a hangover?

Zombie Plants

31 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How could a disease turn a plant into a zombie?

A Change in the Air

30 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Isn’t it great to have fresh air? You might be surprised to learn that our planet’s air didn’t always contain oxygen.

Spider Silk

29 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you've ever unsuspectingly walked into a spider's web, you know how easy it is to get wrapped up in its thin, sticky, silken threads. What makes it...

Estrogen and Breathing

28 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sleep apnea is a disorder in which air is obstructed to some degree while someone sleeps, but it’s more common in men for a reason.

Loud Dolphins

27 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A noisy ocean full of human activity makes it harder for dolphins to hear each other.

Lighter Than Air

24 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Who was the first to fly? You might guess Orville Wright, but actually, the first flight occurred in the 18th century after the discovery of hydrogen.

Fail 15% of the Time to Learn Best

23 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you get the answer right 100% of the time, you’re just not learning anything new.

Stand Up, Be More Creative?

22 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sitting for long stretches of time is detrimental to your health, and possibly your creativity.

Scared of Snakes?

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

According to some biological anthropologists, humans have evolved to be particularly wary of snakes.

Painful Math

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Does math anxiety cause you pain? According to one study, the brain thinks so.

A Million Years in the Dark: The World of the Mexican Blind Cavefish

17 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Suppose as a fish, you lived your entire life in darkness. How would you find your way around?

The Smell of Anxiety

16 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do emotions impact our sense of smell?

Myopic Misery

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You may have heard the phrase “Sadder but wiser,” but according to one study, sadness seems to make us less wise, at least with money.

Sometimes It's Good to Be Second Best

14 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re a baboon, being an alpha comes with its benefits. However, it comes with a price.

When Forgetfulness Comes in Handy

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Clark’s Nutcracker, a pretty bird that lives in the mountains of western North America, sometimes gets forgetful about where they hide pine nuts...

Those Who Don't Like Music

10 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone likes music, right? Except the people with what’s being called “specific musical anhedonia.”

Small Testicles, Better Fathers?

09 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A study with 70 men assessed interest and involvement in parenting and took some measurements. Can you guess the results?

Why Humans--but Not Chimps--Get Cancer

08 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Humans and chimpanzees share 96 percent of their DNA. So why are diseases like cancer so common in humans but so rare in chimps?

Bear-crossed Lovers

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Polar Bears and Grizzly Bears do share some DNA, but they’re separate species. Except for a couple instances.

The Butterwort: Ruthless Carnivore of the World

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mosquitoes, ants, and midges, had best take warning – this plant is nature’s flypaper!

Working Overtime

03 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The more money you make, the more likely you are to work more. But is that healthy?

Imaginary Eating

02 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Can imagination help you eat less?

A Brief History of "High-fidelity" Sound

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did the limitations of early recording techniques influence how speak on the radio?

Can Tooth Fillings Pick Up Radio Signals?

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lucille Ball once made a spooky claim: while driving down a bumpy road, she began to hear music—from inside her mouth!

Why We Can't Walk Through Walls

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Atoms are mostly empty space, so what’s stopping us from walking through walls?

Fearing the Dentist

26 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It turns out, you might have inherited your fear of the dentist.

Roots of Nausea

25 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A team of Canadian researchers identify the brain mechanism in rats that appears to control nausea.

Selfish Sheep

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why do animals like sheep, zebras, fish, and birds, tend to congregate and move around in flocks?

How Yoga Reduces Stress

23 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We all know that Yoga can reduce stress, but how does it work?

Bacteria Portrait Sessions

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Biologists at Indiana University are making time lapse videos to learn about the life of bacteria.

The Ultraviolet Coloring of Flowers

19 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Bees can learn a lot about a flower from its ultraviolet colors.

The Remains of a Cambrian Dinner

18 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A team of paleontologists working in the Canadian Rockies have unearthed an ancient worm's fossilized remains, dinner and all!

"It Takes a Village"

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You've might have heard this African proverb, but did you know that it doesn't just apply to humans?

When You Get an Itch...

16 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tough itch to scratch? Take a lesson from the bears.

Zebra Stripes

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Brown and orange stripes can camouflage animals, but even Darwin was puzzled by black and white zebra stripes.

Lake Vostok

12 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Despite being in Antarctica, this underground lake isn’t frozen.

Plate Tectonics on Mars

11 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are there earthquakes on Mars? Or should we call them Marsquakes?

Amazing Roaches

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can roaches be so sneaky and fast?

Wetland bacteria, methane, and global climate change

09 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Wetlands might not seem like they’re producing any methane, but invisible forces are at play.

Colorful Giant Penguins

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Water King was a giant penguin that lived in Peru about thirty six million years ago.

Why More Variety in Nature’s ‘Grocery Store’ Helps Species Coexist

05 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever reached for a bag of chips at the same moment as another shopper? Why doesn’t one species grab every resource for itself?

Becoming Part of the Music

04 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When you’re at a loud concert, you can probably feel the thump of the bass. Why can’t you feel high-pitched sounds?

Glacier "Sawdust"

03 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do glaciers give icy cold mountain lakes that dazzling shade of blue?

Depression and the Immune System

02 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Depression may have an evolutionary benefit: it may improve one's chances of fighting off infection.

Comfy Mice, Better Science

01 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why do lab mice always have to be kept so cold?

Hunting and Drawing

29 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Did ancient Neanderthals make cave paintings? Or were they too busy hunting?

Invisible plant-microbe friendships and how they expand the plant niche

28 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The best kinds of relationships are the ones that help you grow.

The Emotional Oracle Effect

27 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Can you predict the future? You might have a greater chance if you trust yourself.

Bog Bodies

26 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What do pickles and human corpses found in European peat bogs have in common?

Llama Dung

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Scientists analyzing ancient lake mud think that the success and development of the Inca empire was partially due to... llama dung?

Singing Toadfish

22 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

These fish – that kind of look like toads – can make a sound like a foghorn.

Tiny Pollution Detectors

21 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dogs get all the press for being wonderful scent detectors. But who could imagine that the lowly clam would take on a similar role as water based poll...

The Partitioning of the Pollinator

20 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When you're making dinner, you probably want something easy. As it turns out, bees are also looking for the most efficient meal.

White Nose Syndrome Mystery

19 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A fungus has wreaked havoc on millions of bats since 2006.

A Cool Particle

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Clouds reflect sunlight, so could they help reduce climate change?

Migraines and Exercise

15 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you experience migraines, should you avoid exercise to prevent triggering a migraine?

Crocodiles Swam the Atlantic

14 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you were going to bet on a species to send on an ocean voyage without a boat, crocodiles would be a good pick.

Ancient Disease Resistance

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Scientists studying ancient Neanderthals believe they may know why some modern people have the immunity to certain conditions while others do not.

Fast brain waves provide new insights into sleep and wakefulness

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Neuroscientists discover previously unmeasured brain activity by using shorter timescales.

Poisonous Rats

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Yes, poisonous rats do exist. But only because they know how to steal.

Sleeping with Pets

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is it dangerous to sleep with pets? Only if you kiss them on the nose.

Bomb-Sniffing Plants

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Some plants release toxins when they're threatened by a hungry insect looking for a meal. These bioengineers ran with the idea.

The Loudest Animal on Earth

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A great blue whale? How about a lion roaring? The loudest animal on Earth is actually quite small.

Why and When Did Mammals Start Producing Milk?

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Our early mammalian ancestors did not have nipples, so where did they come from?

Eavesdropping Bats Learn to Recognize a Good Meal

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Bats use echolocation to find prey, but it's not the only method for Fringe-lipped bats.

Dogs at Work

01 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Bringing dogs to work might sound like a recipe for chaos, but it might actually make you more productive.

The Social Web of Bullying

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We all know how bullying works, but research paints a more nuanced picture finding links between aggression and social status.

Is it OK to Drink Urine?

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Suppose it's an emergency? Well, here's everything you need to know.

Why Can’t We Remember Being Babies?

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Scientists know that infancy is a time of rapid learning. So, how come we can’t remember being a baby?