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.
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Plants Evolve Scents and Colors to Attract Animals for Seed Dispersal
How does a plant — incapable of waving its arms or screaming — attract attention and spread its seed? By evolving a powerful stink or an attractive color, of course.
Interbreeding with Neanderthals Gave Humans Virus Protections
New research suggests modern humans owe some of our genetic resistance against RNA viruses to our Neanderthal ancestors.
Why Can We Hear Others' Footsteps, But Not Our Own?
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?
Unicorn Root Resurrects Itself After 130 Years
Can a plant disappear for more than a century and then come back? Unicorn root, gone for 130 years, reappeared in the summer of 2018, completely out of the blue.
Ancient Egyptian Pregnancy Test Survived Millenia Because It Worked
A strange, but surprisingly accurate, ancient Egyptian pregnancy test survived for millennia and was spread around Africa and Europe because it was just that effective.
Laziness May Have Doomed This Human Ancestor
Homo erectus lived for more than a million years on Earth, but laziness and lack of innovation might have been the death of them.
Did Schizophrenia Evolve Along With Our Brains?
Turns out that evolutionary advantages can come with a price.
Composite Faces from DNA Help Solve Cold Cases
Composites from DNA in cold cases is helping investigators make predictions about the appearance of both suspects and victims in hopes of generating leads.
Can You Be Addicted to Endorphins?
Roller coaster junkies rejoice: Riding these coasters could be a safe way to deal with your addiction to endorphins.
5 True Stories of Twins Separated at Birth
What happens when twins are reunited decades later? And how in the world can you explain separated twins giving their firstborn son or their family dog the same exact name?
Your First Memory Is Probably Fiction
Is your first memory of lying in a crib? You may want to revisit that. A new large study found that nearly 40 percent of participants had a first memory that was improbably early.
Earth's Oldest Color Was Pink
Scientists have found that ancient fossilized chlorophyll was dark red and purple in its concentrated form, which means that when diluted by water or soil, it would have lent a pink cast to earth and sea.
Otzi the Iceman Ate a High-fat Last Meal
Researchers say that Otzi, the ancient man found in the Alps in 1991, lived on a diet loaded with fat to maintain warmth and energy in his cold, high-altitude environment.
Why Walking Through Doorways Makes Us Forget
Ever walked from your kitchen to the living room to find your phone and then forgotten what you were looking for once you got there? Researchers think your brain is hard-wired to undergo precisely that process of forgetting.
Research Confirms It: We Really Are Getting Dumber
A new study shows that IQ levels have been falling since 1975, reversing a 20th-century trend.
Fireweed: The Pink Pioneer
Like a phoenix from the ashes, fireweed is the first thing to sprout, helping reestablish areas decimated by fire and deforestation.
Giant Hogweed's Sap Can Give You Sunburn
The towering, invasive giant hogweed has been discovered in Virginia, and residents are understandably concerned.
Are Men or Women Better Navigators?
Researchers at the University of California finally have a scientific answer to this ages-old battle.
Epically Tough Baobab Trees Dying Off in Africa
Nine of the 13 oldest baobab trees researchers examined over the past 12 years have died. What's killing off these majestic trees?
Europe's Oldest Tree Is Still Growing
Germinated in medieval times, the pine named Italus now holds the record as Europe's oldest tree.
Do Rainy Days Really Get You Down?
Dark, cloudy skies and the drumbeat of raindrops on our windows tend to make people feel sad and forlorn, or at least that's what we have come to assume.
Panspermia: Did Alien Seeds Cause Life to Explode on Earth?
A group of scientists are suggesting that panspermia may be responsible for the Cambrian Explosion millions of years ago – the time when most major animal groups appear in the fossil record.
No More Sweet Tooth? Science Turns Off Sugar Cravings in Mice
Could manipulating the human brain's desire for sweet foods lead to new weight control methods and better treatments for eating disorders?
NASA Twins Study Being Replicated on Everest
A NASA study of astronaut Scott Kelly showed that spending time in space altered the expression of some of his genes. But does being on a mountain cause similar effects?
Mysterious New DNA Structure Found in Living Human Cells
In addition to the double-stranded spiral, a four-stranded tangle, known as an i-motif, has been shown to exist throughout our genetic material.
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