The continent-spanning nature of the United States means that we have a lot of different geologic conditions. The eastern half of the country is in the (mostly) stable part of the North American plate while the western half (including Alaska) is in the much more dynamic part of the plate. However, that doesn't mean that the earthquake hazards that our cities face is only a worry for someone living in California.The latest model of potential earthquake shaking hazard for the country was recently ...read more

For newborns in the ocean, we know that baby corals billow beneath the waves before attaching to something solid; baby comb jellies burst into being in the open ocean; and baby turtles wriggle their way through the sandy shores. But there’s one ocean creature whose birthplace is strangely secretive, and that’s the great white shark.For decades, scientists struggled to determine where great white sharks gave birth. But in July 2023, two shark specialists — a filmmaker and a biologist search ...read more

Scientists hypothesize from genetic studies that, more than 65 million years ago, humans came from squirrel-like, nocturnal animals that lived in trees and weighed less than 200 grams. Up until recently, scientists also suggested that this primate ancestor was a primitive and solitary mammal that lived in the shadow of the dinosaurs. A new study published in the journal PNAS, however, sheds new light on the social organization of this prehistoric creature: namely, that most primate ancestors wer ...read more

Few creatures capture our imagination and curiosity as much as the chimpanzee. As one of our closest kin in the animal world, chimpanzees, with their striking similarities and intriguing differences to humans, offer a glimpse into our own ancestry.In this article, we’ll briefly dive into the remarkable world of chimpanzees, gaining a better understanding of their physical traits, habitat, strength and temperament, and the challenges they face.What Is a Chimpanzee: Is a Chimpanzee a Monkey? At ...read more

This is part 2 of a detailed look at the factors that helped make 2023 the warmest year on record, and arguably one of the weirdest too. For part 1, go here.Last year offered perhaps the clearest warning we've ever received that we need to stop polluting the atmosphere with carbon dioxide and other climate-altering greenhouse gases.As I mentioned in part 1 of this series, 2023 shattered the previous record for warmest year in observations dating back to the 1800s. Every month from June through D ...read more

By now, you probably know that 2023 was the warmest year on record. Climatically speaking, it was also arguably one of the weirdest. By early summer, it became obvious that something quite unusual was happening. In June, New York and other major cities were smothered by a toxic blanket of smoke from huge Canadian wildfires fanned by warm and dry conditions. When the final global temperature numbers for the month were tallied, it turned out to be the warmest June on record. As summer unfolded, ex ...read more

You sink your teeth into a grilled cheese from your nearest comfort food joint. That first bite leaves you parched, so you chase the umami with a cold glass of milk. On your way home, you treat yourself to some ice cream, a Friday reward after a successful week. Unfortunately, all the joy in the world couldn’t compensate for the cramps, bloating and bathroom torture you’ll endure thanks to this dairy joyride. Sounds familiar, right? Despite the ubiquity of dairy at grocery stores and restau ...read more

When studying how humans evolved to walk on two feet, scientists have focused on comparing bones from the shoulders, pelvis, spine, and limbs of early humans. So how did humans evolve bipedalism? It turns out, it may have had to do with the inner ears of our ancestors. A new study, published in The Innovation, suspects that the skulls of Lufengpithecus, a primitive ancestor to modern-day orangutans, may hold the key to bipedalism in the structure of their inner ears. “It is from this broad anc ...read more

Magnesium is one of many essential nutrients our bodies need to maintain health. Humans have used this element for medicinal purposes since ancient times, and it continues to be popular today. With so many forms of magnesium available, it’s important to know which are beneficial and which types are better avoided. All magnesium is not the same. Find out which ones best meet your needs.What Is Magnesium?(Credit: beats1/Shutterstock) Magnesium is the eighth most abundant element, comprising app ...read more

Were dinosaurs already on their way out when an asteroid hit Earth 66 million years ago, ending the Cretaceous, the geologic period that started about 145 million years ago? It’s a question that has vexed paleontologists like us for more than 40 years.In the late 1970s, debate began about whether dinosaurs were at their peak or in decline before their big extinction. Scientists at that time noted that while dinosaur diversity seemed to have increased in the geologic stage that spanned 83.6 ...read more