Life Science

From the smallest microbe to the largest mammal, Life Science explores the origins, evolution and expansion of life in all its forms. Explore a wide range of topics from biology to genetics and evolution.

Learn More / Page 18

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

By Karen Kirkpatrick

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

Advertisement

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

The noises that others make - be it walking, chewing or breathing heavily - are very noticeable to us. Yet we seldom hear it in ourselves. Why is that?

By Alia Hoyt

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

Your body replaces billions (with a b!) of cells every day. In about 100 days, 30 trillion be replaced, but does that mean you're a new person, too?

By Chris Opfer & Allison Troutner

Advertisement

CRISPR is the genius behind innovations that seemed impossible a decade ago. Could you grow tomatoes with the kick of hot sauce or ferment wine that doesn't cause a hangover? That's just two of the things scientists are looking into.

By Joanna Thompson

Whether you're a procrastinator or a workaholic, you can improve your time management. How? With a timer, scheduled breaks and some serious discipline.

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

Phrenology, the belief that you could determine personality from the shape of someone's skull, was so popular in the Victorian era that phrenology parlors sprang up all over Europe and America. But the trend was soon debunked.

By Jennifer Walker-Journey

Heuristics are rule-of-thumb strategies that help us shorten decision-making time and solve problems quickly and effortlessly.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

Advertisement

Centrioles are spindles that create the pathways for chromosomes to follow during cell division.

By Jesslyn Shields

The nitrogen cycle is the system by which nitrogen is converted into different chemical forms, some usable to humans and animals and some not, as it circulates among the atmosphere, the land and the oceans.

By Jesslyn Shields

Cork is the go-to material for wine stoppers and bulletin boards. So are we really running out of it? And if so, what happens?

By Wendy Bowman

Heat waves are becoming supercharged as the climate changes. How hot is too hot for normal daily activity, even for young, healthy adults?

By W. Larry Kenney, Daniel Vecellio, Rachel Cottle & S. Tony Wolf