For some time now, scientists have understood that the earths crust is divided into plates that move about at the rate of a few inches a year.But over time, form mountain ranges and volcanoes. They have also known that the earths mantle, the layer be...
The closer high and low air pressure areas are to one another, the more wind there is. Thats why, for example, coastal areas tend to be very windy. During the day, land heats up more quickly than the sea. So when air over land rises, cooler air over...
Have you ever used duct tape to tape a duct? Do you even know what a duct is? Maybe not. But you definitely know what duct tape is, and youve probably used it to fix everything from glasses to flashlights. Now, thanks to one study, we can officially...
As interest increases in alternative energy, wind power has emerged as one of the best alternatives to fossil fuels. Which is why wind farms are popping up throughout the United States and around the world. But you cant just set up a wind farm anywhe...
Why is that? Its because the edges of the spill are where the fluid is at its thinnest. A spill sitting on a flat surface is something like a pancake. Big in the middle and thin on the rim. As the thin edges evaporate, they are replenished by liquid...
Point at a ball and a dog will look at the ball, whereas a cat will probably look at your hand. Dogs seem to have a ready understanding of how human beings direct attention by pointing, and can follow our gestures almost as if they thought the same w...
Next time you spill a little, let the coffee dry before wiping it up. Youll notice that after it dries there is a darkish ring around the very edge of the spill, whereas the middle disappears almost entirely. Whats going on here? Robert Deegan and Sy...
What does all this mean? Chimp behavior is often used as a clue to understand early hominid or human behavior. Scientists have long wondered how hominids overcame the instinctive fear of fire and learned to manipulate it. They believe that their firs...
Did you ever wonder what occurs inside your body when something funny happens? What is this thing we have in our brains that makes us say ha-ha when someone slips on a banana? One way to find out is to watch the brain laugh. Thats pretty much what Da...
What do you do when the savannah is on fire? If youre a frightened elephant or gazelle, unable to gauge the ferocity or direction of the flames, you run. If youre a chimpanzee, scientists at the Fongoli research site in Senegal have found, you might...
Scientists conducted a range of cognitive tests with older adults in the ir 60s and 70s. They then chose two smaller groups from those subjectsthose who performed high on the tests, and those who performed low. The scientists administered two of the...
Some diseases are contagiouslike colds, flu, and chicken pox. But what about loneliness? Loneliness may not be a disease, at least not in the same way that chicken pox is. But loneliness can be contagious. How so? The same way that many emotions can...
Fossil discoveries have begun to unravel the riddle of whale evolution, providing paleontologists with clues. Indohyus was a fox sized, even toed ungulate found in India. This herbivore was adapted to living in the water like whales, with a bony wall...
Have you ever noticed that while its pretty easy to tell your dog is sick, its much harder to know how your cat or bird are feeling? Well, before you start asking your dog why it cant be more stoic like animals half its size, its probably worth consi...
Everyone is familiar with the riddle: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? This sometimes leads to discussions about bird evolution. But most people dont realize this type of question is common in paleontology. For example: Which came first, the...
