Is the Loch Ness Monster a Giant Eel?
Source: ©AdrianNunez/Shutterstock
While scientists don’t believe there is a giant monster hiding out in Loch Ness, they are considering what creatures could live there based on DNA testing.
Science & Nature
Scientists Think They Know What Causes Trypophobia
Source: MentalFloss
Trypophobia describes the fear of clusters of holes. While it’s not officially recognized, many are convinced they have it.
The Visual Illusions that Reveal How Our Minds Work
Source: Psychology Today
Disney is known for creating magical effects on-screen, but did you know they also use tricks and deception in their theme parks, too? This article discusses a few of the ways Disney–and other theme parks and entertainment venues–use optical illusions to create magical effects in real life.
Experimental robot performs simulated surgical operations aboard space station
Source: NBC
A surgical robot originally intended for space has the potential to revolutionize surgery here on Earth.
Naming Apollo: Why NASA chooses Greek gods as names
Source: Astronomy.com
In 2019, NASA announced that the agency’s efforts to return to the Moon would be named the Artemis program. The goddess Artemis was heavily associated with the moon, and she’s also the twin of Apollo, whose name graced NASA’s first lunar missions in the 1960s. But why does NASA choose mythological names in the first place?
The Amazon’s ancient complex of ‘lost cities’ flourished for a thousand years
Source: NBC
A new discovery in the Amazon unveils more information about the vibrant and complex civilization of the Upano people, who populated the region thousands of years ago.
Magician Breaks Down How Illusions Work
Source: Wired (on YouTube)
Magician David Kwong breaks down magic into what he calls the “7 Principles of Illusion” and explains what goes into the execution of a magic trick.
Beware: He does give some general spoilers for how some magic tricks are done.
Sinkholes: When the Earth Opens Up
Source: The Atlantic
Sometimes disasters strike in the strangest of ways. To get a sense of just how strange, take a look at the odd and impressive photographs that accompany this short article on sinkholes. Who’d have thought such a thing could happen—right outside our front doors?
10 Offbeat Things Humans Have Launched into Space
Source: How Stuff Works
Did you know that Buzz Lightyear has really been to space? Most of the more than 100 space trips have included an odd item or two on board. Read to find out more about the interesting, and sometimes wacky, items that have traveled to space.
Harnessing the Military Power of Animal Intelligence
Source: CNN U.S.
In the 1990s, the U.S. Navy revealed that sea lions and dolphins were being used to find and retrieve valuable equipment from the sea floor. These animals are also being trained to help clear mines and to protect our harbors. Read to learn about the secret uses of marine mammals!