Researchers Apologize For Writing “Derpy” In A Paper

Posted on Categories Discover Magazine

It appears that memes and science don’t mix well. A pair of researchers have published an apology in a peer-reviewed journal – for using the word “derpy” in an earlier paper. In April 2016, Archives of Sexual Behavior published a piece called Fighting the Derpy Science of Sexuality by Banu Subramaniam and Angela Willey. In this paper, Subramaniam and Willey criticized studies of biological differences between human groups: The various sciences of‘& ...read more

How SciStarter connects people to citizen science projects, events and tools.

Posted on Categories Discover Magazine

At SciStarter, we aim to reach people where they are and connect them to opportunities to do and shape science through citizen science projects in need of their help. If someone wants to promote or recruit participants for their project, event, or tool, they register it on SciStarter. Our editors review each record before publishing it. Once it’s published, it can be shared with our partners (including CitSci.org, the Atlas of Living Australia,  the U.S. Federal inventory of projects, ...read more

The Missing Apollos 2 and 3

Posted on Categories Discover Magazine

Apollo 8’s launch, also known as SA-503. NASA. If you look up a list of all Apollo missions NASA flew in the 1960s and 70s, you’d see Apollo 1, then Apollo 4 through 17. So what exactly happened to the missing Apollos 2 and 3? When NASA started testing Apollo and Saturn hardware in the early 1960s — the hardware that would eventually fly to the Moon — it established a pretty standard nomenclature. Every rocket was given a letter designation for the rocket and paylo ...read more

Dark Matter Might Clump to Form Planets

Posted on Categories Discover Magazine

A new theory suggests dark matter could coalesce into massive structures. A new theory says physics might allow dark matter to form into compact objects, like planets. But don’t try to walk on such a world. (Credit: NASA) Dark stars may not just be for Grateful Dead fans anymore. In a new paper uploaded to arXiv, Rutgers University astrophysics professor Matthew R. Buckley puts forth a truly wild hypothesis: It might be possible to build worlds out of dark matter. But the whole thing cam ...read more

Network of Bees

Posted on Categories Discover Magazine

By: Russ Campbell There is a lot to learn from bees. The survival of the hive depends on the combined efforts of the entire colony. In Conetoe (pronounced KUH-nee-tah), North Carolina Reverend Richard Joyner and his family of youth beekeepers are tending to bees and building community, one hive at a time. Reverend Joyner is the force behind the Conetoe Family Life Center, created to address the fact that in one year, he conducted more than 30 funerals for people under 50 who had died from chroni ...read more