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Familiar Tunes Rapidly Jog the Brain
Within just a third of a second of hearing a snippet of a familiar refrain, our pupils dilate, and the brain shows signs of recognition. Christopher …
6 years, 2 months ago
Science News Briefs from around the Globe
A few brief reports about international science and technology from Brazil to Hong Kong, including one about male elephants in India exhibiting unusu…
6 years, 2 months ago
We Owe Our Pumpkins to Pooping Megafauna
The pumpkin’s ancestor was an incredibly bitter, tennis-ball-sized squash—but it was apparently a common snack for mastodons. Christopher Intagliata …
6 years, 2 months ago
Bird Egg Colors Are Influenced by Local Climate
In cold, northern climates, eggs tend to be darker and browner—heat-trapping colors that allow parents to spend a bit more time away from the nest. C…
6 years, 2 months ago
Crabs Do a Maze
Green crabs learned to navigate a maze without making a single wrong turn—and remembered the skill weeks later. Christopher Intagliata reports.
6 years, 2 months ago
Odd Bird Migrates Twice to Breed
The phainopepla migrates from southern California to the desert Southwest to breed in the spring before flying to California coastal woodlands to do …
6 years, 2 months ago
Piranha-Proof Fish Gives Inspiration for Body Armor
A gigantic fish from the Amazon has incredibly tough scales—and materials scientists are looking to them for bulletproof inspiration. Christopher Int…
6 years, 2 months ago
Galloping Ant Beats Saharan Heat
The Saharan silver ant feeds on other insects that have died on the hot sands, which it traverses at breakneck (for an ant) speeds.
6 years, 2 months ago
Some Mosquito Repellents Act like Invisibility Cloaks
Synthetic repellents such as DEET seem to mask the scent of our “human perfume”—making us less obvious targets for mosquitoes. Christopher Intagliata…
6 years, 2 months ago
Your Skull Shapes Your Hearing
The resonant properties of your skull can amplify some frequencies and dampen others—and, in some cases, affect your hearing. Christopher Intagliata …
6 years, 2 months ago