Tag Archives: Science & Nature

He went where no human had gone before. Our trash had already beaten him there.

Exploring one of the most remote places on earth, a deep-sea diver found new species as well as something depressingly familiar.

Animals Take Over Cities During Self-Isolation

A surprising side effect of the lockdowns imposed during the global coronavirus pandemic is the sight of wild animals on deserted city streets.

Coronaviruses Often Start in Animals — Here’s How Those Diseases Can Jump to Humans

Learn about the complicated path a virus must take to jump from animals to humans.

How Can Adrenaline Help You Lift a 3,500-Pound Car?

Have you ever heard of an adrenaline rush? This article by Josh Clark describes how a rush of adrenaline, brought on by a fearful situation, can give someone “superhuman” strength.

Horses are smarter than we realize

Scientific studies are proving that horses have better memories and more intelligence than previously thought.

An “invisibility cloak” prototype material by Hyperstealth Biotechnology

Watch the video to see a real-life invisibility cloak! Thanks to innovative technology, humans are one step closer to achieving invisibility, which can have practical and military applications.

Inventing Telescopes

For most of human history, our view of the universe has been limited to only what the eye could see. But the ingenuity that spurred the Renaissance gave us the beginnings of a more distant view that revolutionized our understanding.

Theodore Roosevelt and the Environment

President Theodore Roosevelt was brash, daring, and adventurous. He was also deeply committed to the cause of preserving America’s forests and wilderness. Explore the links in this American Experience website to learn more about what nature did for “TR” and what he did for nature.

The Story of Smallpox and Other Deadly Eurasian Germs

The European conquest of the Americas in the 1500s was brief and decisive. The established civilizations on this side of the Atlantic Ocean lacked the weaponry of the invaders. More significantly, they lacked immunity to the deadly germs that accompanied the Europeans.

Smart vultures never, ever cross the Spain-Portugal border. Why?

A bird can fly anywhere. So why wouldn’t it cross a national border? Find out how scavenging birds have responded to government policies in Europe.

What Is Drought?

Any weather extreme can result in disaster. Click the links to learn about the causes and effects of severe lack of rainfall.

10 natural wonders in the United States that set records

If you could go anywhere in the United States, where would you travel? The country is full of natural wonders. Read about 10 places you can visit that set national or world records.

Archaeologists Are Hunting for the Lost French Fleet That Nearly Conquered Spanish Florida

Archaeologists are looking for the wreckage of a fleet of French ships that was lost near present-day Florida in 1565. Why are scientists so interested in this shipwreck from long ago? The loss of the ships brought an end to French colonization in the Americas.

What are the effects of isolation in the mind?

University of Chicago researchers have found that lonely people have less activity in the ventral striatum part of the brain, which is part of its reward center and is associated with learning.

This kite could harness more of the world’s wind energy

Quests still happen today, though they may take different forms. Read about one company’s quest to harness the world’s strongest winds to power humanity.

Scientists Think They Know What Causes Trypophobia

Trypophobia describes the fear of clusters of holes. While it’s not officially recognized, many are convinced they have it.

“Everything is changing”: Farmers seek solutions, not slogans, on climate change

This article suggests that although many American farmers have doubts about the causes of climate change, they are willing to work with scientists to solve the problems presented by extreme weather events.

Nature crisis: Humans ‘threaten 1m species with extinction’

A 2019 study by the United Nations suggests that human actions could cause as many as one million species to become extinct within the next few decades. Read to learn more about the situation and to find out what you can do to help.