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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You may vaguely remember hurting your knee at the age of 3, but do you recall the moment your body burst into the world? Most likely not. Why are our first years devoid of memories?

By Cristen Conger

Can you be bored to death? Sometimes it feels that way but has someone ever really died of boredom? You might be surprised at the ways boredom can shorten your life.

By Cristen Conger

People with schizophrenia can experience delusions, hallucinations and paranoia. But they don't have to suffer social isolation. Find out what successful treatments can help people with the disorder.

By Jane McGrath

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In the wild, are brains better than brawn? Find out when your fight-or-flight response is your friend and when it's your enemy.

By Cristen Conger

TV shows, movies and books depict characters that have suffered a bad injury to the head and have lost their memory. But could it really happen that fast? And will their memory ever return?

By Katherine Neer

Ten-tier wedding cakes, bagels slathered with cream cheese and slim, crusty baguettes -- we owe them all to wheat. What's the story behind this ancient, ubiquitous food crop?

By Robert Lamb

Have you ever suspected your neighbor was up to something illegal? He's always home and he gets midnight deliveries. Doesn't he have a job? Maybe he does, just not the kind you think.

By Robert Lamb

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If wisdom teeth are so wise, why do they keep sprouting in the gums of people who don't need them anymore? Should a lack of wisdom teeth give you bragging rights as a highly evolved human?

By Molly Edmonds

It sounds kind of great, right? Imagine everything you and yourself could get done. You'd be masters of the world -- wouldn't you?

By Robert Lamb

Brain mapping attempts to provide a complete picture of the brain's structure, but few know how brain mapping works. Learn how brain mapping works.

By Susan L. Nasr & Sascha Bos

If bigger is better, then some of us have the advantage when it comes to brainpower. Human brains (and noggins) don't all look the same. Does size really matter? And if it does, who comes out on top?

By Molly Edmonds

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Everyone cries. For some it's an emotional response, while others just shed tears when chopping onions. Are tears a way for us to cleanse our bodies?

By Alia Hoyt

Who hasn't fantasized about bigger biceps? Killer abs? A rear end you could bounce a quarter off? But would you tamper with your genes to achieve that buff body?

By Susan L. Nasr

Herd immunity means that after a certain percentage of a population is immune to a disease, the whole population is. This is usually achieved through vaccination but some are not convinced.

By Alia Hoyt & Molly Edmonds

How would you like to be the person responsible for changing science and Western civilization? With the "Origin of Species," Charles Darwin did. How did this English gent become the reluctant ambassador of evolution?

By Robert Lamb

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More than 50 years have passed since Watson and Crick untangled the structure of DNA and five years have elapsed since scientists finished sequencing the entire human genome. What have we figured out about our genetic material?

By Jacob Silverman

It's commonly believed that that grandpa has more knowledge than his young whippersnapper of a grandkid. But do wrinkles on the face really relate to wrinkles on the brain?

By Molly Edmonds

Think about how you would describe yourself to a stranger. Would you emphasize your keen sense of humor or physical features you're fond of? Or would you spend more time on supposed "trouble spots"? Your answer largely depends on your mental picture.

By Cristen Conger

That bowling ball of white meat in your oven is a far cry from its wild ancestors. How did a single breed of top-heavy, dim-witted birds come to dominate the turkey market?

By Maria Trimarchi

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Much like Noah, researchers are stockpiling the genes of Earth's living creatures, loading them into state-of-the art facilities and freezing them. Are scientists saving them for a rainy day?

By Robert Lamb

Autumn rolls out its very own red carpet to make a fashionable arrival. So why do falling leaves change colors to vibrant hues of crimson, yellow and orange?

By Jennifer Horton

Ever hear that urban legend about waking up without your kidney? Would organ thieves have to find a new line of work if cloned organs became a reality?

By Cristen Conger

Aristotle defined hate as a dislike so intense that whoever feels it wants to cause another person real harm. What is going on in our brains when we hate? And can hate ever be a good thing?

By Patrick J. Kiger

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Urushiol is the active chemical in poison ivy. Learn more about urushiol and how to properly remove poison ivy.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Nearly every cell in your body has the same DNA. It's the hereditary material located your cells' nucleus. But what does it do and why is it so important to all living beings?

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D. & Jennifer Walker-Journey