Venus is Earth’s closest planetary neighbor, and Earth has oceans full of water. So, it doesn’t seem far-fetched to wonder if Venus has water, too. But it doesn’t. What Venus does have is lots of carbon dioxide in its atmosphere, and because of the heat-trapping effects of this greenhouse gas, the surface of Venus is […]

Planes, trains, and automobiles: these modes of transportation are old news. Me, I’m ready to get my own jetpack and soar into the sky. And, in fact, it turns out that jetpacks that can work on Earth do actually exist! So why hasn’t everyone ditched their cars for personal flying machines? In popular imagination, a […]

The Maya civilization arose in today’s southern Mexico and northern Central America three thousand years ago, and reached its peak during the third to the ninth century AD. In Europe, this was the time of the fall of the Roman Empire and the early Middle Ages. The Maya continued to live in the area when […]

Are porcupine quills poisonous? Learn more on this Moment of Science.

The sight alone of a porcupine’s tail is enough to strike fear into any would-be predator or accidental intruder. But, porcupines’ quills can’t compare with the spiked tails that some dinosaurs like the stegosaurus wielded. Although weaponry for combat against rivals is one of the most widespread animal adaptations, there aren’t many species with weaponized […]

You have probably experienced dry skin at one time or another, skin that looks and feels flaky or scaly, and that may be itchy. How does dry skin take on the appearance that it does? Learn more on this Moment of Science.

Assuming that most birds have pretty short life spans, what happens when they die? How come we don't see thousands of bird carcasses lying around? Learn more on this Moment of Science.

Did you know that some spiders, East African jumping spiders, that is, don't just have an appetite for meat, but for blood as well? Learn more on this Moment of Science.

Most men keep quite a bit in their wallets. Money, credit cards, bank cards, photos, reminders, id's, the list goes on and on. A wallet can get stuffed pretty quickly. However, for their health they should really slim it down. Learn more on this Moment of Science.

Cat lovers know how particular their furry friends can be about what they eat. Sometimes, people can take this attitude as a reinforcement of stereotypes about cats: finicky, standoffish, spoiled. But that’s not accurate. While it may seem as if cats stick to their preferences out of spite or an overindulged disposition, it actually has […]