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.
Why do people sing in the shower?
10 Bizarre Treatments Doctors Used to Think Were Legit
Ancient Egyptian Pregnancy Test Survived Millennia Because It Worked
Can You Crack This Nuts Quiz?
The Science Behind Your Cat's Catnip Craze
Clever App Uses Smartphone Camera to Identify Plant Species
Your Phone Is a Germ Factory, So Stop Taking It to the Toilet
Why Even Identical Twins Have Different Fingerprints
Which Emerged First: Viruses or Living Cells?
Howstuffworks Interviews: Extinction Level Events with Annalee Newitz
What's the worst extinction in Earth's history?
Why did Neanderthals become extinct?
DNA From Beethoven's Hair Reveals Poor Health and Family Secrets
Who’s Your Daddy? The History of Paternity Testing
What are the likely outcomes of mankind's new knowledge of the human genome?
Why can't we remember being babies?
The Big, Bad Brain Quiz
No More Sweet Tooth? Science Turns Off Sugar Cravings in Mice
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Our planet has been through five mass extinctions, and some experts say we're heading into our sixth. What can we learn from the past events — and the animals that survived — to make sure we humans can stick around?
Fast-forward 60 years. Imagine looking at yourself in the mirror. My, you look amazing, and goodness you run a speedy ultramarathon for someone so "old." Is this what transhumanism is all about?
Does your brain experience the kind of back-ups you see during your commute? Or are your neurons prone to road rage?
By Bambi Turner
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Any kid knows that cuddling a plush toy is comforting. But with robotics added to the fluffy mix, stuffed animals can become therapeutic for elderly dementia patients.
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?
Humans are a diverse lot. And although we sometimes confuse ethnicity, race and nationality, they are not the same.
By John Donovan
The part of your cells that helps you recover from a hangover is shaped like a maze of tubes and is made of two parts — the rough endoplasmic reticulum and the smooth endoplasmic reticulum.
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A society run by women doesn't have to be the mirror opposite of one run by men. What does a matriarchy look like, and is it possible you're already living in one?
These majestic trees send their roots down in pillars from branch to ground, can form a canopy over 80 feet high and can live to be 250 years old.
Happiness is a wonderful thing. Unfortunately, it can also be elusive due to stress or depression. However, strategies abound that you can use to trick yourself into being happy. Ready for 10 of them?
Pollen grains are, in essence, plant sperm. But how do the grains get where they need to go, and what's the advantage of trusting your genetic future to the winds?
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Amanita phalloides is non-native to the North American continent, introduced to California from Europe, and rapidly spreading.
Many of Sigmund Freud's well-known theories have been discredited by modern psychiatry. Does that include the Oedipus complex?
By John Donovan
Laughter may be the best medicine, but can it actually cure an illness? Some doctors are prescribing a daily case of the giggles along with conventional treatments.
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
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If you swim like a fish or run like a cheetah, you may understand biomimicry better than you realize. The practice involves imitating models in nature to improve technology and design.
By Robert Lamb
Viruses need hosts to replicate and reproduce. So if a virus has no host, how long can it survive? It depends on a lot of factors.
Are you a person who likes to be social but also values some alone time? You are? How did we guess without knowing you? Welcome to the Barnum effect.
Orchids might be the sexiest flower in the greenhouse. Its very name comes from the Greek word for "testicle!" And its reproduction methods are pretty exotic too.
By Alia Hoyt & Desiree Bowie