Life Science

Chimps share almost 99 percent of our genetic makeup. What makes up that tiny, 1 percent difference? What are the things that differentiate us from other great apes?

By Tom Scheve

Despite our best intentions, sometimes we just make bad choices. Is it possible to fight your own worst instincts? Only if you can spot these flaws in your decision making process.

By Tom Scheve

If someone tells you he or she possesses the secret of happiness, that person may also have a bridge to sell you. The things that make some people happy may lead to utter despair in others. As it turns out, humans may have to look into themselves to find happiness.

By Josh Clark

What constitutes happiness? Is it the absence of pain or an abundance of pleasure? It is simply a fortunate function of the brain? If it's the latter, then we should be able to manipulate it -- perhaps in the form of a "happy pill." It may surprise you, then, to learn that we already have one.

By Josh Clark

One day you can digest dairy, and the next, milk makes you sick. The culprit behind this crime against milk? Gene regulation. But how do certain traits just switch off?

By Elizabeth Sprouse

Biofilms form when single microorganisms attach to a hydrated surface and undergo a "lifestyle switch." But why should we care about biofilms?

By Marianne Spoon

Long before sonnets, sestinas and short stories were historical accounts of kings carved onto clay tablets. Who were the first writers and what did they scribble?

By Charles W. Bryant

How did life on Earth begin? Theories abound, but one popular one posits that it started spontaneously from primordial ooze on our planet, while another holds that it literally came from outer space. Who's right?

By Josh Clark

We need food for sustenance and nutrition, but we also eat for pleasure. We like the way some things taste, and enjoy the experience of eating, but can food actually make us happy?

By Josh Clark

Clowns might seem to have more foes than friends, but these entertainers are a key part of laughter therapy in hospitals. There is increasing evidence that a few hearty chuckles can help you along the road to recovery.

By Molly Edmonds

Traditional psychology has proven effective in studying and treating mental illness. However, some in the field want to study what makes patients happy instead of what makes them miserable.

By Josh Clark

Exercise, hot peppers, sex: All of these things are said to give you an endorphin rush. What's the science behind this chemical high -- and how do you keep it going?

By Tom Scheve

You yearn to peer out the window of an SUV and watch a Tyrannosaurus rex lumber into a clearing. Your home movie of said event would be a YouTube sensation. Could it ever happen?

By Robert Lamb

Depending on whom and when you ask, everything from same-sex smooching to punk music portends the end of Western civilization. Do any of these cultural commentators have a case?

By Robert Lamb

A new global report says 1 million species are at risk of extinction — the greatest number in human history.

By Jonathan Strickland

Many old couples tend to look like each other due to shared life experiences, according to a recent study. Learn more about why older couples look alike.

By Jacob Silverman

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

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

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

Sometimes you meet someone who smiles at you and exchanges pleasantries, but you still walk away feeling certain that you don't like him or her. You're not nuts -- you might be picking up on microexpressions.

By Tom Scheve