On Earth, carbon can form millions of compounds, while silicon is largely stuck inside rocks. But elsewhere, silicon could form the basis of life.
Unlike other world rulers, Genghis Khan was laid to rest not inside an elaborate mausoleum but an unmarked grave somewhere in Mongolia. Maybe.
Humans won’t survive if we stay on Earth. Michio Kaku explains.
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What’s one of the most reliable indicators that a first date is going well? The answer might lie in how closely the couple is matching each other’s behavior and physiology. […]
At all distances, the Universe expands along our line-of-sight. But we can’t measure side-to-side motions; could it be rotating as well?
Modern cosmology conjectures different possible fates for the Universe and thus for the end of time. Details depend on which model is right.
More than 90% of human faces are home to mites that live in our skin pores. These friendly guests might be merging with us.
From the explosions themselves to their unique and vibrant colors, the fireworks displays we adore require quantum physics.
Before gunpowder was introduced to the West, medieval Arabs devised grenades using crockery.
On July 4, we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the discovery of the Higgs boson, the missing piece of the Standard Model of particle physics.
Not an empathetic person? Here’s why that might be a good thing.
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1859’s Carrington event gave us a preview of how catastrophic the Sun could be for humanity. But it could get even worse than we imagined.
Success can be measured in different ways. When it hinges entirely on our careers, we fall victim to a devastating addiction.
In the Canaan religion, Yahweh was a lesser god, who was assigned the land of Israel. Here’s how he became “God Almighty.”
Arguments are a normal and often healthy part of a relationship. It all depends on picking the right kind of arguments, though.
The idea of gravitational redshift crossed Einstein’s mind years before General Relativity was complete. Here’s why it had to be there.
Since at least 600 BC, people have been mesmerized by the concept of the infinite.
People often ask “What should I do?” when faced with an ethical problem. Aristotle urges us to ask “What kind of person should I be?”
The English writer left behind a mind-expanding collection of books.
Can Detroit get its comeback right?
Having trouble learning? A PhD engineering professor gives you one key tip.
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No matter how beautiful, elegant, or compelling your idea is, if it disagrees with observation and experiment, it’s wrong.
Experts believe they could cut the time it takes a rocket to reach Mars by up to 25%, shaving about two months off the trip.
Experiments cannot confirm what theory predicts about neutrinos. And particle physicists have no idea why.
A “bio-battery” made from genetically engineered bacteria could store excess renewable energy and release it as needed.
In 200 years, the mortality rate for children under the age of five (per 1,000 live births) has dropped from 40% to 3.7%.
Deaths of despair are skyrocketing in the U.S., while at the same time, they are falling in other wealthy countries. What are we doing wrong?