Life Science

Poison ivy is often very difficult to spot. But if you come into contact with it, you'll soon know by the itchy, blistery rash that forms on your skin. Learn how poison ivy causes that rash, and how to get rid of it.

By Stephanie Wilson

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.

By Tracy V. Wilson

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.

By Stephanie Watson

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.

By Stephanie Watson & Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

Dozens of people are frozen in cryogenic storage facilities, waiting to be revived when science is able to cure whatever killed them. But if they're dead, is revival from a frozen state even possible? Find out.

By Stephanie Watson

Dreams combine verbal, visual and emotional stimuli into mystifying storylines. Should we bother to interpret them? Are they random brain impulses, or do they offer insight into our waking lives?

By Lee Ann Obringer & Yves Jeffcoat

Ever since I took biology in high school I have wondered -- why do humans (and plants and animals) have two of every gene, and why is one "dominant" and the other "recessive"? How does my body know which one is dominant? How does it pick between the

Evolution is fascinating because it attempts to answer one of the most basic human questions: Where did life, and human beings, come from? The theory of evolution proposes that life and humans arose through a natural process.

By Marshall Brain

The physical you is a result of your DNA, and your DNA is part of the human gene pool. Find out what the "gene pool" really is and what happens when it shrinks.

By Marshall Brain

HIV continues to be a major global public health issue, having claimed more than 35 million lives so far.

By Kevin Bonsor & Oisin Curran

Whether brain death is a result of cardiac arrest and lack of oxygen to the brain, or of a gunshot wound to the head, the diagnosis is the same. Learn what the term "brain dead" actually means.

By Leslie C. Olson

Many people think of cinnamon simply as a condiment that makes sweet treats taste even better, but the spice has had many, diverse uses over time. Could it have some medicinal properties, too?

By Diana Bocco

The Galapagos Islands may have played a grand role in Darwin's theory of evolution, but they're notable for more than their finches. What strange species populate these remote islands?

By Maria Trimarchi

Everyone knows that humans require food, water and shelter, but what about knowledge? It turns out that we have an innate, unquenchable need to seek out new things and new stimuli. Aren't you curious?

By Josh Clark

Ignorance is bliss. But what if you're more than just unaware? If you are dumb as a doornail, flat-out foolish or dim-witted, are you happier than the genius next door?

By Cristen Conger

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.

By Victoria Vogt

The Declaration of Independence is one of the most significant documents in American history. However, the origin of one of its signature phrases -- the pursuit of happiness -- is shrouded in mystery.

By Josh Clark

Marriage entails waking up beside the one you love and sharing cozy, homemade dinners for two. But when the honeymoon haze clears, are married people happier than singles?

By Cristen Conger

How does a laughter milkshake sound? What about a joy cocktail? Though the former may sound like part of a kid's meal and the latter like a happy hour order, they're both related to laughter yoga.

By Molly Edmonds

If you want to quantify how happy someone is, do you count the number of smiles he or she cracks in a single day? Some researchers are stumped as to how happiness can be measured.

By Cristen Conger

The authors of chain emails often tell you to smile more, with the added claim that it takes more muscles to frown. Ever questioned this piece of wisdom? We have an answer for you.

By Tom Scheve

Smiling isn't complicated: your mouth turns up, your cheeks lift and your eyes crinkle. You're happy and it shows. But can every smile -- even a fake one -- spread that cheerful feeling?

By Julia Layton

We love to play with and fuss over our pets, but have you wondered if they were having as much fun as you were? Can animals actually feel happiness?

By Josh Clark

What are your happiest childhood memories? What do you remember most about them -- the things you bought or the gifts you received, or the events themselves?

By Josh Clark

From giggles to guffaws and chuckles to cackles, humans laugh in a lot of different ways. But what do each of those laughs mean, and are they all related to humor?

By Molly Edmonds & Joseph Miller