All Science Notebook
Why do humans have chins?Humans are the only primate with a chin, an adaptation that reflects the emergence of complex social networks among our ancestors.
Why NASA's discovery of a distant exoplanet is importantAfter finding a more accurate way to determine the location of faraway planets, NASA hopes to better understand the distribution of planets in the Milky Way.
The surprising science behind the aluminum soda canMost of us interact with soda cans every day, so it's easy to forget that their design is the result of brilliant engineering and manufacturing carefully honed over decades. The modern soda can can hold beverages at pressures up to six atmospheres, yet is less than a tenth of a millimeter thick.
Hydrogen fuel breakthrough could pave the way for clean carsA new method of hydrogen fuel production, developed by Virginia Tech researchers, could be used in zero-emission vehicles.
Einstein or Marilyn? How this optical illusion hides two faces in one portraitAn optical illusion created by MIT shows Marilyn Monroe from far away, but changes to Albert Einstein up close. The illusion offers clues as to how our brains process the details in images or scenes.
How a tiny songbird can fly 1,700 miles over open oceanFor the first time, researchers fit blackpoll warblers with geolocators to follow the birds' ambitious migration.
How to put out a fire using nothing but bassTwo George Mason University students built a fire extinguisher that can put out a blaze without using water, foam, or chemicals. The device emits a low-frequency hum that deprives the fire of oxygen.
Kitchen science: The secret colors in milk, fire, and black markersMake everyday objects into rainbows with these color-revealing experiments.
Square ice: Has science perfected the snowflake?Through a fascinating lab accident, researchers made square snowflakes, learning something new about water in the process.
Can we revive endangered languages? Should we?Over 1,000 languages are severely or critically endangered, according to UNESCO, and some scientists are saying economic growth is driving language extinction. But what might be the consequences of less language diversity?
- Weird worm uses elastic body to sling slime
By exploiting laws of fluid dynamics and elasticity, velvet worms fire a predatory jet of slime that oscillates faster than muscular action allows.
On St. Patrick's Day, here's the real reason Ireland has no snakesSt. Patrick's Day celebrates the patron saint of Ireland, who, according to legend, banished snakes from the Emerald Isle.
Pi Day pizza: How big would this pizza be with $85,000 in shredded mozzarella?Over the past weekend, thieves made off with a tractor-trailer full of shredded mozzarella, presumably to bake the world's largest pizza for Pi Day. But what will the pizza's diameter be?
Why water balloons popped underwater seem to explodeA YouTube video, shot at 36,000 frames per second, shows a balloon popping underwater. What’s going on there?
Momofuku Ando's secret to instant ramen: tiny holes in the noodlesA Google doodle Thursday celebrates Momofuku Ando, the inventor behind instant noodles.
- A dancing guide to mathematical equations
Why rely on a graphing calculator when you can dance your way through calculus class?
- Weasel takes joyride on back of woodpecker
One woodpecker got an unexpected passenger and an amateur London photographer captured the moment. Why do animals team up with unlikely companions?
