Why Do Zebras Have Stripes? To Create Optical Illusions
Source: Popular Science
Humans aren’t the only ones fooled by optical illusions. Learn how the zebra’s black and white stripes protect it by confusing the vision of predators large and small.
Science & Nature
There have been five mass extinctions in Earth’s history. Now we’re facing a sixth.
Source: The Washington Post
We all know about the mass extinction that killed the dinosaurs, but scientists now see evidence that we’re in the midst of another mass extinction—this one caused not by an asteroid but at least in part by human activity. This review of Elizabeth Kolbert’s book The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History discusses how humans have altered nature and what we’re doing about it.
Sherpas Take Steep Risks for Life-Changing Pay
Source: National Geographic
For Sherpas working as professional guides on Mount Everest, a bad day at work can result in death. Though the Sherpa people have worked as mountain guides for over a hundred years, no one can deny how dangerous the job is, especially in light of the most recent accident on Everest which killed 10 Sherpas in a single day.
Science of Love: Heartbreak
Source: History
We use the word heartbreak to describe what it feels like when love is lost, but what actually happens to the body during this process? Watch this short video to learn about some of the science behind a broken heart.
Dogs at War: Smoky, a Healing Presence for Wounded WWII Soldiers
Source: National Geographic
Corporal Bill Wynne had a special bond with his dog, Smoky. That bond helped Wynne recover from a serious illness during WWII. Smoky and Wynne later spent years touring hospitals together, helping other ill or wounded soldiers heal.
Holocaust Remembrance Day Grows Roots: Anne Frank & the Sapling Project
Source: Biography
Anne Frank saw the chestnut tree that stood outside of her window as a symbol of beauty, despite the ugliness that pervaded the world around it. Read about how the Anne Frank Center USA’s Sapling Project is giving new life to this special tree and all it stands for.
Scientists study the thrill of a chill
Source: NBC News
What is it that makes certain types of fear fun? Researchers have uncovered a few explanations for the attraction of a good scare.
Aaahh! The world’s scariest roller coasters
Source: NBC News
Do you enjoy the feeling of being frightened? If you do, then you may be a fan of roller coasters. Learn about some of the scariest roller coasters in the world, and watch videos of what the rides are like.
The peppered moth: A black and white story after all
Source: Genetics Society News
England’s peppered moths provide a classic example of how a species adapts to changing environmental conditions. In this journal article, scientist Jim Mallet discusses not only changes in the moths themselves, but also changes in how their story has been interpreted.
Greening the Desert
Source: National Geographic
You’ve probably seen remarkable images of irrigated land, rich with crops, in the midst of barren desert. New approaches are helping to alleviate hunger by developing crops in some of the most forbidding places on earth—but at what cost to the environment?