Head bursting parasitic wasp is awesomely creepy
Wasps that parasitize other insects are surprisingly common in the insect world. A new species, Euderus set aka the crypt-keeper wasp, stings and lays an egg in the crypt gall waspRead more . . .
What exactly IS food poisoning?
The are a great many misconceptions surrounding foodborne illness, aka food poisoning. Foodborne illness is caused by a contamination of food and water sources by bacteria, viruses, molds, toxins, parasites orRead more . . .
Doctors really want you to stop using cotton swabs
If you care to look you will find an admonishment on every box of Q-tips, “Warning: Do not insert swab into ear canal.” It would be good to take thatRead more . . .
What do atoms really look like?
Since atoms are so tiny, how do we know what they look like? Admittedly, two dimensional drawings have a hard time illustrating objects that exist in the realm of quantumRead more . . .
Can science help detect art forgeries? It can.
Even the trained eye of the art historian, curator, or the connoisseur can be fooled into thinking a forged work of art is the real deal. Now of course scienceRead more . . .
Many people diagnosed with asthma may not actually have it
Approximately 25 million Americans have been diagnosed with asthma, so many that you may have been diagnosed your self or know someone who has. It turns out that on reevaluation asRead more . . .
Forensic science is under fire
Forensic evidence, the basis for empirical criminal justice and the cornerstone of police procedural TV series, has come under criticism for lacking validity and reliability. At the heart of theRead more . . .
Will humans learn to hibernate?
As an aid to space exploration, scientists are studying if humans will ever be able hibernate like bears and groundhogs do. Of particular concern is that researchers still really don’tRead more . . .
It’s not looking too good vis a vis global warming
2016 it turns out was the hottest year on record, setting a new benchmark for the 3rd year in a row, with scientists insistently placing the blame on human activities.Read more . . .
Do dogs care what you say or how you say it?
Researchers have shown that domesticated dogs respond in a similar way to the nonsensical high-pitched voice people use talking to infants. Puppies were highly reactive to the pitch of dog-directed speech; OlderRead more . . .
