Why Is January 1 the Beginning of a New Year?
You can thank Julius Caesar, Pope Gregory XIII and 2,000 years of calendar controversy for our New Year's date and calendar system. Some cultures only recently adopted it. ...read more
Author: Vishay Singh
Top 20 Citizen Science Projects of 2020
Citizen science has seen significant growth during the pandemic. In 2020, these were the top projects on SciStarter.org. ...read more
The Ethics of “Human Brain Surrogates”
The ethical questions raised by emerging neuro-technologies ...read more
As the Arctic Continues its Meltdown, Economic Exploitation Quickens
Call it the 'polar paradox': warming opens the Arctic to more oil drilling and shipping, which causes yet more warming. ...read more
Will the Vaccine End the Pandemic? This Question Must Be Answered First
COVID vaccines can prevent symptoms, but no one knows if they can stop the virus. ...read more
The Maya Civilization’s Religion Was More Than Just Ritual Sacrifices
Though best known for bloody ceremonies, Maya spirituality was more nuanced and involved than it’s usually portrayed. ...read more
Computer Model Predicts When and Where Extraterrestrial Life Is Most Likely to Emerge in Our Galaxy (Spoiler: It’s Not Here)
Earth sits outside the region of the Milky Way where life is most likely to have arisen, say astronomers. ...read more
Here’s the Top 10 Science Stories You Missed This Year (While You Were Distracted by COVID-19)
It may have felt like scientists were all-hands-on-deck battling the pandemic. But plenty of researchers learned amazing things this year that had nothing to do with COVID-19. ...read more
Yawning Is One of the Greatest Mysteries of the Human Body
No one knows for sure why we (or our pets) yawn. But some hypotheses hold more weight than others. ...read more
The Real Story Behind Aztec Crystal Skulls
Fake Aztec crystal skulls are found in museum collections around the world. They can all be traced back to one man. ...read more