Cellular & Microscopic Biology
Cellular and microscopic biology allow scientists to study cells and microorganisms. Cellular biology is the study of cells, including their structure and function. Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which include algae, bacteria, and viruses.
Biotic Factors vs. Abiotic Factors: Examples and Dependencies
Meet the Largest Living Organism, aka the Humongous Fungus
Ascaris Lumbricoides: The Stomach Worm Nobody Wants
Indica vs. Sativa: How to Distinguish Between Cannabis Plants
Can You Crack This Nuts Quiz?
The Science Behind Your Cat's Catnip Craze
Howstuffworks Interviews: Extinction Level Events with Annalee Newitz
What will the Earth look like in 50,000 years?
How did language evolve?
The Most Common Hair Color Isn't Blonde
What Is the Most Common Eye Color? Over 70% of People Have It
Reading a Codon Chart and Identifying Amino Acids
Is He Faithful? How to Identify Signs of Cheating in a Relationship
Why the Little Albert Experiment Could Never Happen Today
Milgram Shock Experiment: A Vital Lesson in Social Psychology
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In science, people commonly use the terms "hypertonic" and "hypotonic" when describing the concentration of solute particles in solutions. But what exactly is the difference when it comes to hypertonic vs. hypotonic solutions?
By Marie Look
Your phone might look clean, but in reality, it's harboring germs, viruses and bacteria. So stop doomscrolling in the bathroom.
It's kind of amazing that no two fingerprints are alike, not even for identical twins! But why is that?
By Alia Hoyt
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The Ophiocordyceps unilateralis fungus makes a mockery of ant free will. But how does it take over the ant body to control its host?
New studies suggests your gait may be able to predict something deeper than just a temporary mood.
Worried that we're running out of effective antibiotics? Never fear. Scientists are plundering cockroach brains and other surprising sources to create new lifesaving medications.
Lots of Americans believe that getting the flu is no worse than getting a cold. Or that the flu vaccine can give them flu. We separate truth from fiction.
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When you get sick, your illness can be caused by several different factors. Learn why you get sick at HowStuffWorks.
The results of three recent studies show that an uncircumcised man is twice as likely to contract AIDS from an infected woman as is a circumcised one.
By Julia Layton
Niels Bohr proposed the model of the atom that we still learn in school today, even though it's technically incorrect.
How can spam e-mail help fight HIV? Find out how spam e-mail and HIV are linked and learn about new methods for HIV treatment.
By Josh Clark
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Nearly every cell in your body has the same DNA. It's the hereditary material located your cells' nucleus. But what does it do and why is it so important to all living beings?
Learn about weight gain and the processes going on in your cells.
Influenza, Ebola and COVID-19 are all viruses. Find out what a virus does to your body and how to decrease your chance of exposure.
Your body temperature has an important role to play in fighting off infections from viruses like the flu. Here's how it works.
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You've heard it on the lips of every newscaster and seen it in the pages of every newspaper and Web site: swine flu. Just how worried should we be about the 2009 version of the H1N1 virus?
Are you the first to complain when it's too hot or too cold at work? Extremophiles have news for you: Suck it up. These hardy microbes make most of us humans seem like whimpering Goldilocks, and studying them may tell us more than you might imagine.
While HeLa cells have been star players in medical research for decades, the woman behind them remained in the shadows for years. Discover the amazing story of Henrietta Lacks and her immortal cells in this article.
Biofilms form when single microorganisms attach to a hydrated surface and undergo a "lifestyle switch." But why should we care about biofilms?
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Viruses, viroids and prions are microscopic, infectious particles with a common, despicable goal - but the way each goes about achieving that goal is different.
By Debra Ronca
The human body is composed of about 10 trillion cells. Everything from reproduction to infections to repairing a broken bone happens down at the cellular level. Find out all about cells.
The journal "Nature" recently published a paper describing how a cell transplant had allowed blind mice to see again. What does this mean for humans?
If you've kept up with the news lately, you've probably heard dire warnings about avian flu, or bird flu. In this article, we'll review the basics of how viruses and influenza work, and we'll learn the answers to these and other questions about avian flu, including whether it is likely to cause a global flu epidemic.
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While most flu sufferers moan and groan for about a week and then return to work, the flu season creates more than just discomfort and a costly loss of work days.
We hear about them on the news and we listen to politicians argue for and against them using them to treat disease. Learn all about stem cells and the research, challenges and controversy that surround them.