A Random Influx of DNA from a Virus Helped Vertebrates Become So Stunningly Successful
Insertion of genetic material from a virus into the genome of a vertebrate ancestor enabled the lightning-quick electrical impulses that give animals with backbones their smarts
Why Some People Always Get Lost—And Others Never Do
Experience may matter more than innate ability when it comes to a sense of direction
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-some-people-always-get-lost-and-others-never-do/
U.S. Carbon Removal Needs Have a $100-Billion Price Tag—Per Year
The U.S. needs to vastly increase taxpayer spending on direct carbon removal technology to meet President Biden’s climate goals, the Rhodium Group says
Why We Believe the Myth of High Crime Rates
The crime issue, a focus of the 2024 presidential election, is sometimes rooted in the misplaced fears of people who live in some of the safest places
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-we-believe-the-myth-of-high-crime-rates/
Did the Eclipse Give You the Amateur Astronomy Bug? Here’s How to Get Started
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, a professional astronomer, talks about her own adventures in astrophotography—and offers tips and tricks for new amateur astronomers.
Climate Action Is a Legal Obligation, European Court Rules
The European Court of Human Rights found that climate change is a human rights issue, providing a blueprint for Europeans to force their governments to tackle rising temperatures
Peter Higgs, a Giant of Particle Physics, Dies at 94
The Nobel Prize-winning theorist’s prediction of the Higgs boson sparked a half-century quest of discovery that reshaped physics—and our understanding of the universe
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/peter-higgs-a-giant-of-particle-physics-dies-at-94/
Why Batteries Come in So Many Sizes and Shapes
A rectangular nine-volt battery is basically just a bunch of smaller batteries in a trench coat
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-batteries-come-in-so-many-sizes-and-shapes/
Animal "Queens" Reveal Surprising Complexities of Social Power
In a new nature documentary about matriarchal species, the males are mostly absent
Think Seeing is Believing? Think Again
We think that what we see represents stone-cold reality. Science has found out how wrong we can be.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/think-seeing-is-believing-think-again/
Rural Americans Are Dying at Increasingly Higher Rates Than City Dwellers
The urban-rural mortality rate gap in the U.S. is increasing, especially among young women and Native Americans. Limited access to health care could help explain why
No Spoilers, Please! Why Curiosity Makes Us Patient
Curiosity makes people hungry for knowledge—but not necessarily in a hurry
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/no-spoilers-please-why-curiosity-makes-us-patient/
COVID Vaccination during Pregnancy Protects Newborn Babies
Studies show that vaccination against COVID during pregnancy provides a powerful safeguard for vulnerable infants too young to receive the vaccine on their own
Red Dots around Total Solar Eclipse Explained
During the total solar eclipse, skywatchers saw ruby-colored prominences sticking out of the moon's shadow. Here's the science of those red dots
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/red-dots-around-total-solar-eclipse-explained/
This Hellish Alien World’s Skies May Create an Eerie Rainbow ‘Glory’ Effect
The atmosphere of exoplanet WASP-76b may rain iron and form a strange, rainbow-like phenomenon called a “glory” never yet seen outside the solar system
Feeling Angry? Chilling Out Helps More Than Blowing Off Steam
When anger strikes, decreasing arousal is more likely to reduce aggression than venting is, according to a massive review of 154 studies
The Solar Eclipse Is Almost Here: Everything You Need to Know
Here’s how to pick a viewing spot, stay on top of the weather and pack the right gear to see the total solar eclipse on April 8
New Books Help Parents Explain Climate Disasters to Kids
Books are becoming a key part of disaster recovery, helping toddlers—and their parents—cope with increasing hurricanes, earthquakes and wildfires
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-books-help-parents-explain-climate-disasters-to-kids/
What Causes Earthquakes in the Northeast like the Magnitude 4.8 One in New Jersey?
Earthquakes in the Northeast are usually too small to feel, but larger temblors like the 4.8 magnitude quake in New Jersey aren’t unheard of
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-causes-earthquakes-in-the-northeast/
How Ancient Humans Studied—And Predicted—Solar Eclipses
Dragon bones, mysterious carvings and simple math reveal ancient eclipses
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-ancient-humans-studied-and-predicted-solar-eclipses/