If necessity is the mother of invention, then surely poor farmers will invent more than billion-dollar corporations or highly paid academics. Or so believes Prof. Anil Gupta, who has spent two…

If necessity is the mother of invention, then surely poor farmers will invent more than billion-dollar corporations or highly paid academics. Or so believes Prof. Anil Gupta, who has spent two…

With the Supreme Court decision to uphold mandatory health insurance purchasing under the Affordable Care Act, it's going to get more expensive. But for thousands of years people were able to go into…

It’s a scientist’s duty to be properly skeptical, says Berkeley physics Prof. Richard Muller, who still says that much, if not most, of what is attributed to climate change is speculative,…

It’s a scientist’s duty to be properly skeptical, says Berkeley physics Prof. Richard Muller, who still says that much, if not most, of what is attributed to climate change is speculative,…

The brain is like a muscle; it can get into a routine.  But mixing up the workout a little is healthy in both cases.  In the brain, however, it isn't without difficulties. Learning a new…

What exactly happens to your face when you smile spontaneously, and how does that affect how old you look? Computer scientists from the University of Amsterdam's Faculty of Science recorded the…

A  giant human sculpture has been unearthed at the Tayinat Archaeological Project excavation site in southeastern Turkey. The head and torso of the human figure is intact to just above its…

Livestock is an essential part of the human diet and farm productivity is dependent on animals being healthy, which depends on adequate nutrition. Existing evidence shows that livestock feed can be…

The latest issue of Philosophy Now features an interesting collection of articles on human enhancement, with articles arguing that the approach is “essential” to humans in order to avoid catastrophes…

I recently came across an article entitled "Synthetic biology: 'playing God' is vital if we are to create a better future for all".   As you can imagine, the article itself is primarily focused…

Science journalism used to not have that 'science' qualifier.  It was journalism, like any other kind, but about science. Last decade, though, science journalism lost its way, as we have…

Having cancer takes a toll on the body but the emotional strains are considerable. The stresses of undergoing treatment, along with the impact it has on relationships with family and friends, can be…

Researchers have created the first artificial molecules whose chirality can be rapidly switched from a right-handed to a left-handed orientation with a beam of light.  Chirality is the distinct…

Right now, we protect people and animals against diseases by inoculating them with vaccines based on real infectious agents - but that brings risk of reinfection and the expense of cultivating and…

The downside to an MP3 culture is that its pretty solitary. If I want to make a mix for the wife, I have to buy an .mp3 player and just give it to her - or I have to go retro and burn a CD. It's…

The downside to an MP3 culture is that its pretty solitary. If I want to make a mix for the wife, I have to buy an .mp3 player and just give it to her - or I have to go retro and burn a CD. It's…

If the odds are in your favor, why not bet some money? There have been plenty of high profile bets in physics. Bets spice up stuff. Moreover: If nobody is willing to take your offer, they effectively…

Chinese athletes had been warned by the country's Sports Ministry to avoid meat because it may contain clenbuterol, banned by the International Olympic Committee as a performance-enhancing substance…

Chinese athletes had been warned by the country's Sports Ministry to avoid meat because it may contain clenbuterol, banned by the International Olympic Committee as a performance-enhancing substance…