When the sun was 30% dimmer, Earth seems like it should have been inhospitably frozen, but new work suggests that dimness may be why life exists here at all.

A Solution to the Faint-Sun Paradox Reveals a Narrow Window for Life

Susan Valot narrates in-depth news episodes based on Quanta Magazine's articles about mathematics, physics, biology and computer science.

Science

Physics

Life Sciences

Gut feelings, like the stomachache one might get from overeating, are driven by the enteric "second brain" in our digestive systems.

In the Gut's 'Second Brain,' Key Agents of Health Emerge

The placenta has a unique trick for keeping immune defenses on standby, even when no viral infections threaten a pregnancy.

During Pregnancy, a Fake 'Infection' Protects the Fetus

A recent neurological study provides an unprecedented look at how number sense works in the human brain.

Why the Human Brain Perceives Small Numbers Better

An Icelandic peninsula that hadn't seen any volcanism for 800 years has now awoken. Eruptions could continue for decades or even centuries.

Inside Scientists' Life-Saving Prediction of the Iceland Eruption

Physics is a rich well of inspiration for mathematicians to draw from.

A Solution to the Faint-Sun Paradox Reveals a Narrow Window for Life

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