Humans belong to a sub-clasification of animals called deuterostomes (or second-mouth). During embryological development there is a period where part of the tissue “folds” back into itself creating…

 This began as a response to a comment made on my Blog: Conservatism is Unnatural.  It grew.  People look back on the societies of the past with an amused superiority. They wonder how…

If I were Hugh Hefner, I'd be all over this company, trying to invest. Researchers from Philips Electronics are developing a vibrating jacket to study the effects of touch on a movie viewer’s…

Two guest writers on Olivia Judson's blog offer an interesting idea for spending stimulus money on research: Instead of simply funding more grants, we suggest using some of the windfall to provide an…

As part of the Darwin Bicentennial Lecture Series at Appalachian State University, Dr. Paul Ewald, author of Plague Time: The New Germ Theory of Disease, recently gave a presentation on the genetic…

People have always been fascinated by bats, but mostly in their erratic flying and their bizarre habit of sleeping upside down.    But landing with bad eyesight is not so easy either and a…

Evolutionary theorist Alastair Clarke says eight patterns are the basis of all the humor that has ever been imagined or expressed, regardless of civilization, culture or personal taste.  That's…

Researchers at the University of Florida have introduced 'Delicious', a new muscadine grape cultivar. 'Delicious' ripens early, produces high yields, and is disease-resistant. The black fruit…

A new study published today in the journal Addiction shows that drinking alcohol is the greatest risk factor for acetaldehyde-related cancer. Heavy drinkers may be at increased risk due to exposure…

It seems that music has extraordinary magical powers. Famed for being able to tame wild beasts, set a romantic mood, keep you exercising for longer and make babies smarter, music has taken a…

Phobos and Deimos are just two of many moons of the solar system. Meet Deimos in color as viewed by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on 21 February 2009. And here is Phobos image taken by…

In his NY Times opinion column, Nicolas Kristof worries about the fact that people prefer to read things that reinforce their own preconceived notions, instead of things that challenge them. The…

We’re all aware of the severe genetic and unpleasant physical consequences that result from reproducing with a closely related relative.  Aside from unfortunate aesthetics, inbreeding can also…

The Antarctic landmass is losing its frontier status.  Housing thousands of decreasingly rugged inhabitants in heated, internet-ready comfort, it’s been so well-mapped that we even know where to…

There is an old gag which asks: "Why don't polar bears eat penguins?" The answer is that polar bears inhabit arctic regions, whereas penguins inhabit antarctic regions, as shown here. There is a…

There's a federal law that says Native American bones held by museums or other institutions have to be returned to the tribe they are associated with - if the tribe can prove the bones are in fact…

Alert! Voting starts today with NASA's goofy but fun Launch Madness brackets, mimicking sports' March Madness. A bit ironic given I'd just written on how voting does not make science. That said,…

Scientists say they have detected giant twisting waves in the lower atmosphere of the Sun, shedding light on the mystery of the Sun's corona, the region around the Sun, extending more than one…

In the days of Columbus, dead men could tell no tales.  Today, dead men can tell us a lot and science has just taken that forensic interrogation to new heights. A team of researchers from the…

A new study says that some aspects of peoples' cognitive skills, like making rapid comparisons, remembering unrelated information and detecting relationships, will peak at about the age of 22 and…