This story was originally published in our May/June 2023 issue as "Making Waves." Click here to subscribe to read more stories like this one.On Feb. 11, 2016, scientists at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) unveiled the first direct detection of gravitational waves — produced, in this case, by the merger of two black holes, 1.3 billion light-years away. The announcement (and accompanying scientific paper) came 100 years after Albert Einstein’s 1916 prediction t ...read more

Colorectal cancer among adults 50 and younger has increased in the last three decades. Although the disease is still rare among younger adults, researchers question whether the spike is related to the rising popularity of ultra-processed foods (UPFs).Scientists are paying more attention to UPFs, and their findings are becoming mainstream. One study in Cell Metabolism, for example, made headlines after researchers found that participants lost weight after two weeks of eating minimally pro ...read more

If you’re plagued by sneezing, wheezing, or red, watery eyes whenever you’re around a feline friend, you’re not alone. An estimated 10 to 20 percent of us have a cat allergy, and there’s evidence that the number is increasing.But if you also revel in the cuteness of cats, you may be wondering whether there’s an allergy loophole (or even cure-all) somewhere out there. The detailed answer isn’t a definitive “yes” or “no” — but rather somewhere in between.What Are Allergies?Al ...read more

Since astronomers first laid eyes on the interstellar object known as ‘Oumuamua in October of 2017 at the Pan STARRS telescope in Hawaii, it's strange behavior and mysterious origins have sparked speculation and debate. The interstellar object appears to have originated from outside of our solar system. 'Oumuamua MeaningThe unique 'Oumuamua name was given by the International Astronomical Union after the Hawaiian phrase “a messenger from afar arriving first.” And nearly five years after i ...read more

Early residents of the Tibetan Plateau, one of the least hospitable places on earth, survived in large part by consuming large amounts of dairy products, according to a new study that chipped away at ancient teeth.Sometimes referred to as the world’s Third Pole, the Tibetan Plateau is beset by dry, cold, unpredictable conditions that would have made life tough for the humans who lived there some 3,600 years ago. Conditions would have stymied efforts to raise crops, such as the barley raised in ...read more

Partway down the list of household dinosaur names, you may know the pachycephalosaurus.Even if you don’t recognize that formality, the dome-shaped head of this creature is notorious, much thanks to its combative force in the Jurassic Park franchise. But plenty of aspects of this dinosaur remain elusive to experts.Pachycephalosaurus FactsThe pachycephalosaurus is the largest in a group of bone-headed dinosaurs, pachycephalosaurids, made up of around 20 species, says Aaron Dyer, a paleontologist ...read more

Just last month, an image of Pope Francis in a stylish, white Balenciaga puffer jacket quickly went viral, convincing thousands that the pontiff was ready for a night on the town. Days before, another series of photos surged across social media, showing the arrest of former president Donald Trump at the hands of riot-gear-clad New York City police officers.There’s just one catch: The images were completely fake. AI-Generated PhotosThese viral sensations were produced by artificial intelligence ...read more

[embedded content]The world's fishing industry largely acts like a sieve separating the larger fish – the keepers taken for human purposes – from the smaller ones, which go on to reproduce. This process creates a kind of evolutionary pressure, according to researchers, affecting the genetic makeup of generations to come.A 2002 study found it took only four generations of such size-focused fishing to shrink the size of the ensuing generations. While the strategy initially produced large yield ...read more

The Tasmanian tiger was once a creature of great beauty. The striped, marsupial predator, and largest of its kind, moved at a slow, stiff-legged pace through the grasslands of Australia, hunting singly or in pairs. Its 46 teeth closed around kangaroos, other marsupials, small rodents and birds, according to the Australian Museum.The Tasmanian Tiger ExtinctionLargely a creature of the night, the Tasmanian tiger became a thing of legend as farmers blamed it for the death of sheep and poultry acros ...read more

When the roller coaster at Coney Island first debuted in 1884, thrill seekers climbed aboard a ride that scaled a 15-foot hill and sped at four miles per hour.Modern coasters can reach heights of 300 feet and speeds of 90 miles per hour. They drop riders suddenly or jerk them backward. Riders twist, fly upside down and return to the start within mere minutes.Scientists are learning more about what happens to the body during roller coaster rides. The twists and turns are harmless for most peopl ...read more