A Moment of Science

Are solar storms a threat to the internet?

13 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The internet is one of the most valuable resources of our time. What potential threats exist to our global network?

Antarctica's biodiversity and penguin poop

12 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What's the importance of penguin poop?

The mysterious origins of the Macrauchenia

11 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about the Macrauchenia, a creature Charles Darwin considered as one of the strangest ever.

Caribou and their mighty migration

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The idea of heading south for the winter isn’t exclusive to humans. Plenty of animals embark on huge trips as the seasons change.

What is the Heisenberg uncertainty principle?

07 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most bewildering developments of modern physics is the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. On today's Moment of Science we'll learn what this...

Flowers choose the best pollinators

06 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It turns out flowers have some say in who carries their pollen.

Arthropods in your house

05 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

They might not be welcome house guests, but your home probably has more arthropods than you think.

How does the windhover hover?

04 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever seen a raptor stay motionless in the air?

Grapefruit and your medication

03 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know eating grapefruit can be ill advised, depending on your medication?

Invasive species and tornadoes

31 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tornadoes can leave devastating destruction in their path, and impact an environment in surprising ways.

The gun embodiment effect

30 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers wondered whether the act of wielding a gun would make a person perceive other people as wielding a gun as well.

Turning your world upside down

29 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

See how our visual systems invert images with this simple demonstration.

Less oxygen, stronger alligator hearts

28 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Usually less oxygen leads to problems, but that isn't the case for alligator eggs.

The smooth wake from a ship

27 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why would a ship's wake be smooth and not more chaotic? A Moment of Science explains.

The oldest known eardrums

24 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why do ancient katydids have prehistoric significance?

Tricking your muscles, with a door frame

23 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about your muscles' sensory receptors with today's A Moment of Science!

Crows can choose if they want to call

22 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Some sounds are involuntary, but crows have the ability to determine if they want to call.

The biggest earthquake humans ever experienced

21 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There have been several devastating earthquakes in recent history. Today's A Moment of Science looks at what is suspected to be the biggest earthquake...

The complexities of feeling hangry

20 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever felt hangry? Turns out this emotion is more complex than you might think.

Getting grounded, but keeping your wings

17 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why do flightless birds still have their wings?

Don't sweat the small stuff with moisture-wicking fabric

16 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How does moisture-wicking fabric work while you're working out?

Hills in the ocean

15 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Despite appearances from the surface, the ocean has a surprising geographical range.

Pickle me this

14 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about the widespread technique of pickling with today's A Moment of Science.

The invasive jumping worm

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Gardeners would tell you earthworms are a crucial species in keeping their plants healthy, but not all worms are beneficial for your plants

Wet weather leads to brighter colors

10 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Not only leaves, but rocks, soil, and road surfaces all have more intense color when they're wet than when they're dry.

Defending Earth: The impact threat

09 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

An asteroid striking our planet might be a popular storyline in science fiction, but how likely is this possibility really?

Leafhoppers might be fans of climate change

08 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Find out more about leafhoppers and why they might like global warming with today's A Moment of Science.

When did humans learn to cook?

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Anthropologists think our ancestors solved the calorie problem by learning to cook their food with fire.

The amazing regeneration of the axolotl

06 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve all heard of lab rats—but what about lab axolotls?

Working out and your arteries

03 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How exactly does exercise make us healthier?

You can see the forest and the trees

02 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about reforestation practices with today's A Moment of Science.

The curve of a meandering river

01 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Check out today's A Moment of Science for more on one of nature's most basic and subtle shapes -- the winding, back-and-forth S-curve of a meandering ...

Internal compass helps guide fish home

28 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We recently looked at the internal GPS systems of insects, but what about other wildlife?

How getting back on the horse can help

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's A Moment of Science is all about the benefits of hippotherapy.

Your Pong opponent is a dish of brain cells

24 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pong is so easy you might say anyone could master it. And Pong’s newest players? A group of lab-grown brain cells.

GPS can get a bit buggy

23 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Insects use their own GPS system to navigate, and scientists looked at how accurate their sense of direction is.

What is alien hand syndrome?

22 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about alien hand syndrome with today's A Moment of Science!

Why did T. rexes have tiny arms?

21 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The T. rex was one of the fiercest dinosaur predators, but why did it have such small arms?

Why do we feel madly in love?

20 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Love makes you do crazy things, but what is it exactly that makes us behave so differently?

Cockroaches have personalities and make choices

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How personable are cockroaches?

Convection in your coffee cup

16 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There are some interesting physics to be found first thing in the morning.

Planet of the ants

15 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Humans like to think of Earth as our planet, but biology tells us otherwise.

Bernoulli's hair dryer

14 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Learn all about Bernoulli's principle with today's A Moment of Science!

Humans can echolocate, too

13 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We often associate bats with echolocation, but did you know some humans can have this ability too?

The Earth's core and the evolution of complex life

10 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For billions of years, life on Earth had included only microbes, and simple soft-bodied organisms. Then, within just a few tens of millions of years, ...

Did sanitation make Rome any healthier?

09 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rome had a fairly sophisticated sanitation system, but didn't have a reduction in internal parasites. What made this possible?

Same and different: Infants use analogies before they speak

08 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The ability to make comparisons and analogies is a mental capacity that distinguishes human beings from at least most other animals.

Magpie egg hormones impact their offsprings' boldness

07 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Not all magpie jays are alike. Some individuals are much bolder than others. Now, scientists think they may have discovered a clue to explain the diff...

Warped spacial mapping

06 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rats have good spacial mapping, but sometimes things can impact their mental image.

Why are parrots so smart?

03 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When scientists study parrots, they often appear as smart as monkeys and other mammals. How is this possible?

Trust comes with old age

02 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The older we get, the more trusting we tend to become.

Flies that eat spiders

01 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

"Come inside my web," said the spider to the fly...

Mitchell's Satyr: On the brink of extinction

31 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The rare butterfly Mitchell's Satyr used to be found all over the Midwest.

What makes blue ice?

30 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Blue ice is relatively rare to see, so how does this formation get made?

The strange life of a pyrosome

27 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pyrosomes might seem like a creature from science fiction, but they really exist. Learn all about them with today's A Moment of Science.

Harsh winters are due to climate change

26 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our hotter summers are also impacting our colder winters. Find out more with today's A Moment of Science.

Crabgrass has a sneaky trick

25 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Crabgrass might be an eyesore in your lawn, but it presents an even bigger for crop growth.

Sound off: Humans have simpler throats than monkeys

24 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Would you ever mistake playground hoots as the call of a real baboon or great ape?

To bee or not to bee

23 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Great American Eclipse of 2017 raised some interesting questions about bee behavior.

Laughing gas isn't a laughing matter

20 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nitrous oxide isn't often talked about these days, but it is still an important greenhouse gas.

How many bees does a meadow need?

19 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

They might be inconvenient on a personal level, but bees play a very important role in our environment.

The ecological niche: Not just a hole in the wall

18 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What is the significance of an ecological niche? Today's A Moment of Science explains.

How do pets provide stress relief?

17 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What is it about cute animals that calms us down?

How vitamins got their name

16 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Vitamins are a vital aspect of maintaining our help, but how did they get their name?

The bloodsucking strategy of the vampire finch

13 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The truth behind the vampire finch is stranger than fiction!

Surgery in the Stone Age

12 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How long have we had sophisticated medical knowledge?

No ant left behind

11 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rescuing each other from predators isn't a common behavior seen in animals, but the harvester ant shows its possible.

Mole rats lead pretty painless lives

10 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mole rats are immune to certain kinds of pain, including what makes wasabi and some peppers spicy for humans.

Chewing up our daily energy

09 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Chewing takes up a small part of our day, but researchers believed it takes up a significant part of our energy.

The next best thing to a yeti

06 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A large, white animal with fur and claws? The yeti might not exist, but today's A Moment of Science has the next best thing.

Seafloor mapping and a melting glacier

05 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why is a melting glacier such a cause for concern? Today's A Moment of Science looks closer at the research.

The perfect pizza comes down to thermodynamics

04 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Want to know the secret to a perfect pizza? It all comes down to science.

The fascinating thievery of crows

03 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Crows are some of the most intelligent birds on the planet. What keeps us fascinated with their behavior?

The apple in your mind's eye

02 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How well can you remember things you see every day, like logos?

Yaks breathe easy, thanks to specialized cells

30 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Breathing at high altitudes gets incredibly difficult. How are yaks able to live in such drastic conditions?

Cataracts and cloudy vision

29 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

People are now living longer than ever, but there are a few drawbacks that come with old age.

Mindset and genes

28 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our attitudes affect our bodies more than you might think. Find out how with today's A Moment of Science.

Vanilla may one day come from plastic

27 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Despite our associations, vanilla is actually far from boring.

The curious properties of corks

26 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

17th-century physicist Robert Hooke was fascinated with corks. Today's A Moment of Science takes a closer look at his findings.

A tusked and tufted deer

23 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about the tufted deer with today's A Moment of Science!

Brain waves and social behavior

22 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The complex circuitry of the brain is the source of our emotions, thoughts, and behavior. One of the most important types of behavior, in humans and o...

When the sky flashes green

21 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It might sound like a fairy tale detail, but sometimes the sky can briefly turn green. How does this happen?

Reflections in a spoon

20 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Why do reflections change depending on the side of a spoon?

The incredible walking sticks

19 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about stick bugs with today's A Moment of Science!

Bubble trouble: How to calm a shaken can of soda

16 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Either intentionally or not, we've all unfortunately opened a can of soda that was shaken. Find out how to potentially avoid this bubble trouble with ...

The significance of glass color

15 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered why wine bottles are traditionally olive green? Today's A Moment of Science has an answer.

Dinosaurs in the snow

14 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Scientists used to think dinosaurs were like giant lizards and not capable of living in cold climates. That no longer seems to be the case.

The science of sweetened condensed milk

13 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sweetened condensed milk is a key ingredient in many delicious recipes. Why exactly was it created in the first place?

Amazon's biodiversity enhanced by river movement

12 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Amazon is home to some of the greatest biodiversity on the planet. How is this made possible?

Making clouds in your kitchen

09 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When you heat up a kettle, it often seems like you can see the steam rising from it. What exactly are those white clouds made of?

Sea turtles navigate by the magnetic field

08 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Many animal species travel great distances each year. How do they avoid getting lost on the way to their destinations?

The desert where rain is deadly

07 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about the weather in the Atacama Desert of Northern Chile.

The impact of an underwater volcanic eruption

06 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

An underwater volcano eruption earlier this year could have long-term impacts on the global climate.

How temperature impacts the perfect cup of coffee

05 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What's the secret to making the perfect cup of coffee? Temperature plays a key role.

How long is a day on each planet in the solar system?

02 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How long does a day last on other planets?

Rediscovered: The world's largest bee

01 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Megachile pluto, commonly called “Wallace’s giant bee” is the world’s largest bee. And perhaps the most elusive.

Ancient settlements in the Amazon

30 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Archeological evidence shows people have lived on the Amazon for thousands of years. New research sheds further light on what these early settlements ...

The question of a rock and a rowboat

29 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you drop a rock overboard from a boat, does the water surface rise?

Vegetarian birds have more friends

28 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How does diet impact social life? It turns out vegetarian birds of a feather really do flock together.

Knowing your emotions can reduce anger

25 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

While anger can lead to aggression for some, it doesn't in everyone. This difference comes down to emotional differentiation.