Surprising Science

A tiny pellet the size of a multi-vitamin could provide an endless supply of safe, clean energy – But is this unrealistic optimism?

Doctors in Iraq are treating 15 times more chronic deformities in infants since the war – due possibly to toxic materials leftover from the fighting.

Building on the studies of Joseph-Louis Lagrange, a picture of coherent structures in fluids is emerging using advanced technologies.

A new study suggests that forming new brain cells can push out old memories as newborn neurons destabilize established connections.

Following the controversial restrictions on abortion imposed by the healthcare reform bill women are asking if congress has reverted to the Mad Men era?

Traces of cocaine, hormones and spices are among the things found in the drinking water of Puget Sound.

Scientists searching for the Loch Ness monster have unearthed 100,000 golf balls – and no Nessie.

People see what their tools let them see. Case in point: How different the world looks when it’s mapped according to unfamiliar principles. Even more striking than a reverse-pole map […]

An anti-toxin that protects people against ricin poisoning is about to go into production for the first time.

Chinese state media have reported chaos in Beijing after scientists artificially induced the region’s second fake snow storm.

Brazil’s major cities were plunged into darkness last night after a large scale power outage.

It was a mystery: how does the chromosome replicate itself precisely during repeated cell divisions without degrading over time? Structures called telomeres (the “caps” on chromosome ends) seemed to provide […]

The US government is suing a defense contractor for allegedly substituting sophisticated warhead ignition devices for unsafe equivalents.

A gene thought to be responsible for causing deafness in the elderly has been discovered by scientists – and the discovery could prove cure.

The world’s most powerful particle accelerator was shut down after a bird dropped some bread in it.

Fourteen people have been charged with illegally purchasing 77m cigarettes.

Tiny metal particles can cause changes to DNA without crossing the cellular barrier, researchers have found.

Women are getting into fights in the battle to combat flu germs on public transport.

A mother has been medicating her autistic son using marijuana as an alternative to sedative drugs and says it has improved his condition.

A law suit has been brought against computer chip giant Intel alleging it dominates the market through dodgy dealing and bribery.

An examination of a Proceratosaurus skull suggests the Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur is millions of years older than first thought.

The delegations of nearly every African country have walked out of the Barcelona Climate Change Talks after alleging that developed nations are not serious about mitigating the effects of climate change.

Models of the mind are never “just theories” — ideas about human nature shape the rules and habits that guide daily life. A case in point: If people were purely […]

Dr. Katherine Shear, Professor of Psychiatry in Social Work at Columbia University, stopped by Big Think this week to discuss her research on anxiety, panic, and grief disorders. The many […]

All creatures “great and virtual” – the newest innovations in cyber kittens and pooches are investigated by The Independent.

Wrestling with any decisions today? Wondering whether to move to Minnesota or dump that guy or change your Facebook profile picture? Maybe you’ve also wondered what’s going on when you […]

A.N. Wilson, the arch-conservative English litterateur, doesn’t like scientists. They are “gods of certainty” and people who respect them, he writes today, are responsible for killing most of Britain’s cows […]

How will the introduction of e-book devices affect academics and fit into the scholarly ecosystem? And is the book as an artifact dead?

An application to challenge the patenting of human genes that could hamper diagnostic research has been upheld by a federal judge in New York.

Scientists suggest that having a high IQ has nothing to do with practical ability and good judgement, which means clever folks can behave stupidly.