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Why you can smell rain
What you're smelling is petrichor – a pleasant, earthy scent that accompanies a storm's first raindrops. A weather expert explains where it comes from.
September 2, 2018
8 planets in 1 night, from Rome
"I have been thinking for decades about imaging 8 planets of our solar system in 1 night, from sunset to dawn. I imaged all of them from Rome, above the amazing monuments of the Eternal City."
September 2, 2018
Beluga whales and narwhals go through menopause
Besides humans, only 4 species are known to experience menopause, and they're all whales – belugas, narwhals, killer whales and short-finned pilot whales.
August 31, 2018
Hybrid super-snakes in South Florida?
Interbreeding between Burmese and Indian pythons in South Florida might have resulted in what geneticists call "hybrid vigor." One result is that the snakes seem to have adapted to both swamps and high, dry ground.
August 29, 2018
How a volcano helped defeat Napoleon at Waterloo
In June 1815, the Allied army defeated Napoleon’s army at Waterloo. An Indonesian volcano helped, says a scientist at Imperial College London.
August 29, 2018
Guessing your shelter dog’s breed? You’re probably wrong
“What breed is he? is often the first question people ask about a dog, but the answer is often terribly inaccurate,” said the author of a new genetic study of shelter dogs.
August 28, 2018
Why are some species more likely to go extinct?
Death is inevitable for individuals and also for species. With help from the fossil record, paleontologists are piecing together what might make one creature more vulnerable than another.
August 26, 2018
NASA Selfies app lets you play astronaut
We've had lots of fun playing with this app over the past few days. It lets you generate snapshots of yourself in a virtual spacesuit, posing in front of places like the Orion Nebula or the center of the Milky Way galaxy.
August 25, 2018
What are rare earth elements?
Most of us use rare earth elements every day – without knowing it. These little-known and fascinating elements make modern electronics possible.
August 21, 2018
We’re guinea pigs in global microplastic experiment
Microplastics are everywhere - in our water, soil, and even the air we breathe. The consequences of this exposure on human health is unknown.
August 19, 2018
