Norway to invest $13 million in “Doomsday” Seed Vault
We hope this vault will never be needed. But just in case...
Worrying survey finds that 54% of all Americans don’t store their guns safely
People who buy guns for self-defense often end up doing more damage, especially if they don't store their guns properly.
Saddle up: New evidence forces us to rethink what we know about horse history
Instead of the domesticated horses deriving from today's wild horses, it's the other way around.
Neanderthals were artists just like humans, and even understood symbolism
Neanderthals were thinkers and artists, just like humans, tantalizing new research suggests.
Alcohol is THE most important preventable factor for dementia
Put that glass down, It's not good for you.
Soft, eel-inspired device can produce up to 110 volts
From electric creatures to better pacemakers and even prosthetics.
Antidepressants do work, largest ever analysis suggests
It's the biggest antidepressant review, and it has encouraging conclusions.
Neptune’s Great Dark Spot is also shrinking
Another one bites the dust.
In the future, we could be all snacking on jellyfish chips
Don't be so quick to say no.
This fun online game lets you play a propaganda master — and it’s a fake news vaccine
Sowing #fear and #disiniformation has never been this educative!
Jupiter’s Great Red Spot might disappear within 20 years
Jupiter's emblematic feature might disappear in a decade or two.
TV shows such as Gray’s Anatomy distort our expectations of trauma care
Grey's Anatomy was a really good show, but it's still just a show.
Plants colonized the land 500 million years ago — much earlier than we thought
Plants might have moved on to the land 100 million years earlier than we thought.
Tokyo announces plan to build 350-meter skyscraper made from wood
A breathtaking, wood-based skyscraper.
The mysterious deep-sea Dumbo octopus hatchlings look just like adults [with video]
These hatchlings emerge fully-formed, ready to take on the world from day one.b
Using rocks for farming could improve soil quality, reduce CO2 emissions
The practice could reduce the need for pesticides, improve soil quality, and absorb carbon dioxide.
How Roman priests walked through the “Gates to Hell” — and came back
Modern science explains how an ancient ritual worked.
New objective blood test could diagnose autism in children
The test could be a game changer for identifying autism.
Geologists listen to volcanic murmur to predict eruptions
Listen closely, and the volcano will share its secrets.
Poor fitness leads to poor brain health, new study finds
Mens sana in corpore sanome
For the first time, scientists directly observe how Northern Lights are formed
Shedding light on the Northern Lights.
Borneo has lost nearly 150,000 orangutans since 1999
They're resilient and they can make a recovery, if we just cut down on the palm oil.
NASA is taking a Martian meteorite back home — for calibration purposes
The meteorite will be used in NASA's ambitious Mars 2020 mission.
Strong link found between ultra-processed foods and cancer
Bottom line: cut down on the processed foods.
There are vast quantities of mercury in the permafrost. With global warming, it’s now seeping away
Another problem caused by climate change.
A greener Mardi Gras: scientists develop degradable beads from microalgae
If it makes for a greener Mardi Gras, I'm all for it.
Scientists find promising new antibiotic — in the soil
Digging gold from dirt.
Medical ants rescue and care for injured comrades
The behavior surprised biologists, showing just how complex ants really are.
![The image caption reads: "In the center of the picture, a small bright dot is visible – a single positively-charged strontium atom. It is held nearly motionless by electric fields emanating from the metal electrodes surrounding it. […] When illuminated by a laser of the right blue-violet color, the atom absorbs and re-emits light particles sufficiently quickly for an ordinary camera to capture it in a long exposure photograph.
This picture was taken through a window of the ultra-high vacuum chamber that houses the trap. Laser-cooled atomic ions provide a pristine platform for exploring and harnessing the unique properties of quantum physics. They are used to construct extremely accurate clocks or, as in this research, as building blocks for future quantum computers, which could tackle problems that stymie even today’s largest supercomputers."](https://cdn.zmescience.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/cropatom-800x603.webp)
Scientists win photo contest with image of a single, trapped atom
A single atom, trapped in time and space.
Sea level rise is accelerating, could lead to twice as much sea level rise by 2100 than previously expected
Sea levels aren't only rising, they're doing so at an accelerating rate.
Book Review: ‘Spaceman: An Astronaut’s Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe’
An excellent read for people of all ages and all backgrounds, and a bible for anyone looking to become an...
Meat substitutes in Europe have grown by 451% in the past four years
Eating more legumes and less meat is one of the healthier, more environmentally-friendly things you can do.
Schizophrenia patients can calm down their brain by playing a computer game
Participants were able to better control their hallucinations after playing a computer game.
National Parks might soon become smarter and more eco-friendly
I, for one, welcome the idea of Smart Parks.
London is losing its pubs, but is this really a problem?
It's not easy to pinpoint the reasons why this is happening.
Meteorite and volcanoes may have worked together to wipe out dinosaurs
It was a devastating one-two punch.
NASA’s New Horizons probe snaps farthest image from Earth
There's a man-made shuttle at the edge of the solar system, taking photos. It's mind bending.
People who don’t understand evolution are much more likely to reject it
Well here's a shocker.
Study reveals how ants produce antibiotics
You can't spell antibiotic without ant.
Low levels of alcohol are good for the brain
This isn't meant to advocate drinking, but...
New research shows that the TRAPPIST-1 planets are even more Earth-like than we thought
We know these planets better than any others outside our solar system.
The art of science writing — and why jargon and stuffiness isn’t helping anyone
No one wins when science is hard to read.
Loud noises are bad for your heart — and your cells
More and more evidence suggests that chronic noise causes cardiovascular diseases.
Among fruits and vegetables, bananas are the biggest waste culprits
We, as consumers, are also at blame.
A new Iron Curtain is falling over Europe — a “coal curtain”
A coal curtain is falling over the Old Continent.
Augmented Reality could soon help surgeons ‘see’ through the skin
From Pokemon Go to the operating room.
Study shows what happens in the brain when you bungee jump — and what this means for free will
A story of bungee jumping, electrical currents, and free will.
10 Perfect Valentine’s Gifts for the Chemist You’ve Got Chemistry With
Seriously awesome chemistry-themed gifts.