Life Science

The newly developed family tree of Earth's 2.3 million species is a first draft of the 3.5-billion-year history of evolution.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Tetragametic chimerism occurs when a single organism has two genetically distinct types of DNA.

By Laurie L. Dove

The Scandinavian countries tend to come out on top in the World Happiness Report. But the report doesn't actually ask participants if they're happy. When that question is included, the country rankings are quite different.

By Dave Roos

What do Donald Trump, Bob Dole and LeBron James have in common? A tendency to talk about themselves in the third person. But is it just egotism or is there a hidden benefit to saying your name rather than "I"?

By Dave Roos

Some kids have a lot of talent in music, art or math. Then there are those who are gifted beyond belief.

By Dave Roos

It happens to politicians, beauty queens and regular folks. Brain farts, that is. But, why?

By John Donovan

There are a lot of ways mental real estate can be allocated. Neanderthals evolved their big brains in a different way than we did - and you see where that got them.

By Jesslyn Shields

Depends on whether it needs to be quick or good.

By Michelle Adelman

Is it better to be grossed out by the smell of your asparagus pee, or not to be able to smell it all? A new study explains why some of us can detect this unique odor.

By Jesslyn Shields

Yuo cna raed thsi rgiht? Probably, but that doesn't mean a popular internet meme on the topic is totally accurate.

By Laurie L. Dove

Scientists are discovering why some people break out into hives from physical contact like clapping hands or running.

By Karen Kirkpatrick

So at least they have that.

By Laurie L. Dove

While 90 percent of murderers are men, female murderers differ from men in motive, method, circumstance and victim, according to a new Swedish study.

By Jesslyn Shields

Folklore says heavy or spicy food before bedtime can cause nightmares. Surprisingly, there's been no real study of this - until now.

By Alia Hoyt

Were hobbits and giants real? And are they distant relatives of humans?

By Diana Brown

An interesting defense mechanism recently observed in tomato plants has caterpillars turning on themselves rather than remaining vegetarian.

By Laurie L. Dove

New research shows that homo sapiens weren't the first folks to decorate their caves with artwork. Neanderthals actually did it thousands of years earlier.

By Alia Hoyt

Politicians and celebrities often lie or exaggerate claims that can be easily verified, but why?

By Alia Hoyt

Research suggests the human brain is wired to distinguish the rhyme and rhythm of verse from ordinary prose, and to react to literary contemplation.

By Patrick J. Kiger

You'd think being able to smell drinkable water would be an evolutionary advantage. But we can only smell things that suggest potable water. Why is that?

By Jesslyn Shields

Neanderthals may be long gone, but their genetic footprint lives on - in us.

By Robert Lamb

We make a big deal about modern humans being smarter than Neanderthals, but, really, are we?

By Jesslyn Shields

Found along beaches and in the mangrove swamps of tropical climates, the fruit of the manchineel tree was called the 'little apple of death' by Spanish conquistadors.

By Katie Carman

Prokaryotic cells are like single-room efficiency apartments while eukaryotic cells are like mansions with many rooms - and they are the only two kinds of cells in the world.

By Jesslyn Shields

Most people throughout the world are right-handed. So can they teach themselves to use their left hands, too and become ambidextrous?

By Patty Rasmussen