Believe it or not, long before movie theaters and bowling alleys, before Settlers of Catan and Xbox, our ancestors found pleasant ways to pass their idle hours. Then as now, obligations filled only so much of the day — the rest was theirs to do with as they liked.Leisure time has always been a part of the human experience, but its role has shifted over time, differing between cultures and across hierarchical classes. From singalongs to sports to board games — not to mention the occasional p ...read more

As February 2024 drew to a close, many residents across the Midwest and parts of the western United States saw unseasonably warm temperatures. The spring weather, which usually tends to show up in mid to late March, arrived early for some of these states this year, known as “false spring.” Even though the Midwest could enjoy a warm sunny day, within hours, a winter whiplash pushed the warmth out and plummeted temperatures to below freezing.  From tornados to blizzards to record-breaking te ...read more

The monkey tail is one of nature’s most marvelous tree-top tools. Balancing their bodies as they bolt through the branches, the tail is an advantageous adaptation for monkeys. But why wasn’t the tail beneficial for our ancient ancestors, the apes? Somewhere along the evolutionary timeline, apes lost their tails, and in turn helped humans become humans.How this happened has intrigued a slew of scientists over the years, including Bo Xia, a geneticist at the Broad Institute, an independent ins ...read more

E-bikes have captured widespread attention across the U.S., and for good reason. They are the most energy-efficient way to move from place to place, providing exercise in the process, and offer enough assistance while pedaling uphill or into headwinds to make them usable for many types of riders.Greenhouse gas emissions from e-bikes are much lower than those from either gasoline-powered or electric cars. Some cities and states are encouraging the use of e-bikes by providing purchase incentives, ...read more

Many runners know the feeling well — miles of training can feel sluggish and uninspiring. Then, on race day, the course is filled with other runners as well as spectators. The steps seem to come easier and faster. Scientists have long understood that people can perform better on certain tasks when others are watching. But after COVID-19 hit, spectators disappeared from sidelines and stadiums. When events resumed without fans, scientists had an opportunity to further study the relationship bet ...read more

The total solar eclipse set to occur April 8, 2024, will dazzle everyone who views it. However, potential observers might have some questions.Where exactly in Mexico and the U.S. will totality be visible? That’s easy to answer with a detailed map, such as the one below. But which locations are the best spots to view the event? That answer is less straightforward.You’ll surely want to set up shop near the center line of the eclipse, where totality will last the longest. But what else makes fo ...read more

Vitamin and mineral supplements can be helpful for people who don’t get enough necessary micronutrients in their diets, says a 2018 position statement by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This includes some people with chronic health conditions, people who have problems absorbing nutrients, older people, and pregnant people. And almost three-quarters of Americans take nutritional supplements, according to the Council for Responsible Nutrition, a trade organization representing supplement ...read more

After months of summer, the sea ice fringing Antarctica has shriveled to its annual minimum. And for the third year running, scientists are shocked by just how much ice has gone missing.The annual minimum likely occurred on Feb. 20, tying with 2022 for second lowest in the 46-year satellite record, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center. The all-time record low occurred last year.This year’s minimum is 328,000 square miles below the 1981 to 2010 average summer minimum extent in Ant ...read more

Giant hornets, Burmese pythons and, perhaps less obviously, fig buttercups all pose threats to North American ecosystems. (Images public domain, via Flickr Creative Commons. Python: NPS, R. Cammauf; Giant Hornet: USDA, Lance Cheung; Fig Buttercup: John K. Thorne)Burmese Pythons! Northern Giant Hornets! Fig Buttercups! Okay, not all invasive species sound frightening. But all of them destabilize ecosystems, threaten native species, and/or spread pathogens. That’s why, in honor of Invasive Speci ...read more

Do you ever feel spacey, distracted and worn down toward the end of a long work-related task – especially if that task is entirely a mental one? For over a century, psychologists have been trying to determine whether mental fatigue is fundamentally similar to physical fatigue or whether it is governed by different processes.Some researchers have argued that exerting mental effort depletes a limited supply of energy – the same way physical exertion fatigues muscles. The brain consumes energy ...read more