Water Means Life–So Harness a Comet

November 15, 2011
When our satellites search for other planets that might harbor life, they always search for water. But now, for the first time, astronomers have detected around a burgeoning solar system a sprawling cloud of water vapor that's cold enough to... continued

World War III Will be Caused by Climate Change

November 15, 2011
The next war won't be over conflicts in Asia or the Middle East--between India and Pakistan or Israel and the Palestinians. If history is any guide, it will be a result of climate change. Examples from the past include the... continued

Poisoning is on the Rise!

November 15, 2011
The Bible verse, "Thus shalt not suffer (allow) a witch to live" in Exodus 22:18 has long been a burden for Wiccans, but it's a Medieval mistranslation (which may have even been intentional)--it REALLY should read, "Thou shalt not suffer... continued

Hundreds of Tiny Milky Ways

November 15, 2011
Using its near-infrared vision to peer 9 billion years back in time, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has uncovered an extraordinary population of tiny, young galaxies that are brimming with star formation. Most of these galaxies are a hundred times less... continued

Who’s Broke? (It’s Not Who You Think it Is)

November 14, 2011
In theory, older people and people with higher levels of education should be more financially stable and have an easier time affording their homes, but since the economy has become such a horror show, new research suggests that's not the... continued

Why Africa Has the Most Twins

November 14, 2011
"Twinning" is genetic and the central African country of Benin has the highest twin birthrate, while Asia and Latin America have much lower rates of twinning. Benin has almost 30 twins for every 1,000 births. Europe, the US and Australia--where... continued

Breaking the Coded Writings of an Ancient Secret Society

November 12, 2011
Scientists are fond of trying to break codes--and sometimes they succeed. One manuscript they've been working on seems straight out of fiction: a strange handwritten message in abstract symbols and Roman letters meticulously covering 105 yellowing pages, hidden in the... continued

If You Like Harry Potter and Star Trek, You’re Different

November 12, 2011
If you like fantasy, you're a DIFFERENT KIND OF PERSON from your neighbors. Psychologists have recently discovered that people experience fantasy differently, which explains why some people enjoy it more than others. Psychologist Russell Webster conducted two studies: one involving... continued

Detecting Crimes BEFORE They Happen

November 12, 2011
If we could do this, we would be faced with the necessity of arresting and incarcerating technically "innocent" people, which would upend our entire constitution and body of laws, in the same way that torturing suspects at Guantanamo has. This... continued

The Concussion Season is Back

November 10, 2011
Football is the leading cause of sports-related concussions in the US. The aftereffects of football concussions can lead players to take desperate meaures. Researchers were surprised when they performed impact tests on 21st-century American football helmets and compared them with... continued