Science & Nature



Confused person seeing stars

What Causes Déjà Vu?

Source: Scientific American

It’s an eerie feeling: You walk into a place you know you’ve never been before but are overwhelmed by a sense of familiarity—a memory you can’t quite reach. Has this all happened before?
The sensation is known as déjà vu, and though it is hard to study, scientists are slowly figuring out why it happens.


Silhouette of father and son looking through telescope at sunset

The 10 Most Intriguing Science Breakthroughs of 2023

Source: Bloomberg

It’s too early to know what the greatest scientific discoveries and achievements of 2024 will be, but now that we’ve had some time to reflect on last year, here is one site’s opinion on what the Top 10 most intriguing advancements of 2023 were. Which ones do you agree with? Are there any you think should have made the list?


Male radiologist doing CT-Scan on female patient in examination room

Scientists Say They’ve Discovered A New Human Organ

Source: NBC News

Quick! How many organs are there in the human body?
Don’t worry, I can’t remember, either. But whatever that number is, some scientists are proposing that we add one more to the list—a newly discovered system of fluid-filled tissue that goes throughout the body called the interstitium. And understanding it may open up brand-new options for treating everything from cancer to immune disorders to gum disease!



Fire Pit

This year’s Olympic flame isn’t a flame at all—and that’s a good thing

Source: Fast Company

The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris had a goal of being the most environmentally-friendly games in history. One way to meet this goal was by asking the question: “What if the Olympic flame looked like a flame, but wasn’t one?” Learn how engineers came up with the illusion at the heart of the Olympic Games


Boy writes observations about classification of leaves on index cards

Science and Poetry: Predation or Symbiosis?

Source: World Literature Today

Though poets often draw on imagery from nature, science and poetry often appear to be set in opposition to each other. Can the world of facts mesh with the world of emotions? In this essay, poet and scientist Pireeni Sundaralingam analyzes the complex relationship between the two.



Sepia-, blue-, and green-toned grungy film negatives overlapping background

Earthquakes, Megaquakes, and the Movies: Lights! Cameras! Disaster!

Source: USGS

Tornadoes, ice ages, asteroids, megaquakes, and sometimes angry aliens: Hollywood sure enjoys disasters! Read this article about the differences between Hollywood’s view of earthquakes and the views of the scientific community. Learn the real-world science behind movie myths and mayhem.


Cat Carved in Jack-O'-Lantern

The CIA’s Most Highly-Trained Spies Weren’t Even Human

Source: Smithsonian Magazine

Pigeons that guide missiles to their targets? Cats that spy on secret meetings? Trained spiders? Read this article to learn why Bob Bailey, the first director of the Navy’s dolphin training program, says he’s never found an animal he couldn’t train—and find out what his animals have been trained to do.