We often assume that evolution is entirely unpredictable. But, that's not always the case. Some evolutionary changes seem to be at least partly hardwired into a species' DNA. For an example, we can look to ecomorphs, species that occupy the same habitat and look generally alike, despite not being very closely related to each other. In some cases, species will repeatedly evolve the same characteristics as they move from one location to another, as if it were predestined.  Those Are the Op ...read more

Thomas Jefferson was quite clear in his belief that an informed citizenry formed the very foundation of a functioning democracy. If that’s the case, then the hive mind of Twitter is an indication that our democratic foundation may be crumbling. It’s impossible engage in rational, productive discussions about the current state of affairs if people can’t sip from a mutual fount of objective truth—the sky is blue, the Earth is round. When we diverge from the truth, we can p ...read more

For Jade Luiz, a graduate student in archaeology at Boston University, historical archaeology is all about detective work. Through piecing together historical documents and archaeological finds from the outdoor toilet, or privy, of a former brothel near Boston’s North End, she’s been reconstructing the lives of women who participated in sex work in the mid-1800s. Louisa Cowen, for example, who in 1856 took over as the madam of 27–29 Endicott Street—the brothel behind whi ...read more

Where in the world is Amelia Earhart? It’s a question that has captivated the public ever since the famed aviator went missing in 1937 over the Pacific Ocean. Theories and conspiracies abound, but most of the detective work has focused on a collection of bones unearthed on Nikumaroro, one of a spray of remote atolls scattered like freckles in the Pacific between Hawaii and Australia. Mystery Bones In 1940, a skull and several other bones, bearing signs of having been nibbled by coconut ...read more

Breathe in. Breathe out. Take a second and just let the air flow naturally through you. When you’re having a tough time — you’re feeling an awful lot of resistance, maybe, or just running out of energy — remembering to breathe is important. It’s a mantra for a reason. And now it’s not just good advice for people. The European Space Agency announced this week they’d developed a satellite thruster that breathes too, solving a host of problems and establi ...read more

Legend has it that coffee was discovered by a goat herder around 850 AD in what is now Ethiopia. It soon spread around the globe and is currently consumed by billions of people every day. But as the drink gained in popularity, it also gained a bad rap. From claims that coffee led to illegal sex in the 1500s, or that it caused impotence in the 1600s, to the more recent belief that it stunted your growth, history has not been kind to coffee. But in recent years, rumors have been replaced by ...read more

In short, no. At least not based on self-reported statistics that others have expressed doubts about. But the abstract of this study was just too funny not to share. You're welcome. Old Farts - Fact or Fiction? Results From a Population-Based Survey of 16,000 Americans Examining the Association Between Age and Flatus. "An old fart, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is a “contemptible or tiresome person, especially one who is old-fashioned, stuffy, or close-minded.” Howeve ...read more

If your parents ever warned you that your childhood behavior would kill your brain cells, you may want to call them and say thank you. New research in the journal Nature finds that our brain cells may not regenerate as far into our adulthood — or even adolescence — as previously thought. In other words, you get one shot at growing brain cells — so make them count. A Whole New Brain Based on previous research in animals, and indirect tests in humans, researchers thought that our ...read more