Stay updated with the latest public health research, commentary, and field notes from our editorial team.
July 28, 2025 · 5 min read
I just spent a week at the beach staring at the ocean and really starting to think: Why is a sip from the ocean a terrible idea, while lake water (if clean) is okay? In this post, we’ll dive (pun intended) into what sets freshwater and saltwater apart, why the Earth has both types, how […]
I just spent a week at the beach staring at the ocean and really starting to think: Why is a sip from the ocean a terrible idea, while lake water (if clean) is okay? In this post, we’ll dive (pun intended) into what sets freshwater and saltwater apart, why the Earth has both types, how […]
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Mole day! Check out our coverage of the most impressive number-themed day of the year But, of course, there are other things in the research. And what’s in the news How Amazon provides a marketplace for worthless stem cell supplements A study by Canadian researchers found that hundreds of stem cell supplements sold on Amazon […]
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First, Happy Mole Day! Imagine holding a single grain of rice in your hand. Now imagine that grain multiplied again and again until you had enough to fill every ocean, desert, and mountaintop on Earth. That level of mind-boggling scale comes close to what scientists deal with when they talk about Avogadro’s number. Avogadro’s number […]
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Every year, storms, floods, and heatwaves darken millions of homes. But here’s the shocker: not everyone loses power equally. In China, new research shows that poor counties suffer blackouts more often and for longer than their wealthier neighbors. The same could be true wherever vulnerable communities face fragile power systems. Why This Matters to Everyone […]
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In the humid understory of a Thai rainforest, entire graveyards of ants cling to leaves in eerie silence. Their jaws are locked in a “death grip,” stalks of fungus bursting grotesquely from their heads. These aren’t ordinary corpses. They are the casualties of a parasite that doesn’t just kill—it controls minds first. But here’s where […]
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Around the world, millions of people avoid the dentist. In fact, about 15% of adults suffer from dental anxiety, and 3% live with a full-blown dental phobia. On the surface, it may sound like a minor issue—simply a case of nerves before sitting in the dental chair. But new research from a German team reveals […]
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The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 was recently awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi for their pioneering development of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). These innovative structures have revolutionized the way we approach molecular chemistry with vast implications across various scientific fields. What are Metal-Organic Frameworks? Metal-Organic Frameworks, or MOFs, are an exciting […]
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Every living thing on Earth—bacteria, plants, humans—depends on phosphorus. It’s in our DNA, our cell membranes, even the energy molecule ATP. But here’s the puzzle: before life existed, how did phosphorus hook onto simple organic molecules to form the first steps toward life? A new study brings us closer to the answer, and the surprising […]
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Think of a soda bottle: when closed, the carbon dioxide (CO₂) dissolves into the liquid under pressure. But when you open it, bubbles rush out. Deep lakes near volcanic areas can behave similarly—except instead of fizz at your party, you get a cloud of invisible gas that can suffocate an entire village. In India or […]
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So here’s some cool news for the week. The discovery of KNM-ER 101000 in Kenya provides the first fossil hand and foot bones definitively linked to Paranthropus boisei, revealing that this species shared key features of dexterity and bipedalism with early Homo. The hand’s proportions indicate that P. boisei could perform human-like grips suitable for […]
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