Science & Nature

11 crazy facts about getting struck by lightning (and how to avoid it)

Source: Treehugger

You might be surprised to learn that being struck by lightning is more often a matter of life than of death. Learn some amazing facts and survival strategies.

Tardigrades—the microscopic, oddly cute toughest animals on Earth—explained

Source: Vox

Tardigrades are tiny creatures that live everywhere on Earth, from the underside of a rock next to your school to the Antarctic ice. They can even survive in space! Learn about the amazing, indestructible “water bear.”

Rising seas threaten to drown important mangrove forests, unless we intervene

Source: The Conversation

Global climate change is resulting in rising sea levels, which could in turn speed up the change by depriving the planet of a crucial carbon sink.

How British scientist Hertha Marks Ayrton discovered the secret of ripples

Source: The Telegraph

Mathematician, engineer, physicist, and inventor Ayrton received recognition for her first invention at a British exhibition, and many more inventions followed. Read about her work on ripples and the electric arc and her award for making her ideas heard.

New Satellite Helps Scientists Track El Niño

Source: ABC News

Droughts can be disastrous, but scientists have new technology to help them predict wet weather patterns and their effects around the world.

Politicians Should Make America Better for Parents by Thinking Swedish

Source: Outside

Writer Lola Akinmade Åkerström argues that Americans should officially build outdoor sports and recreation into their schedules.

Using data from social networks to understand and improve systems

Source: MIT News

Researchers at MIT are looking at how data collected from individuals and groups can be used for functions such as predicting sociopolitical change or measuring the effectiveness of policies in the developing world.

National Parks: Ken Burns on why they were America’s best idea

Source: USA Today

The National Park Service celebrates its centennial in 2016. An award-winning documentary filmmaker explains why our national parks matter more now than ever.