Hallucination (noun, “huh-loo-sin-AY-shun”) The word “hallucination” can mean different things depending on the context. In psychology, a hallucination is when someone senses something that is not there. In computer science,…

For years, people in one Chicago neighborhood walked past an unusual sight: a hole in the sidewalk that looked as if a rat had belly-flopped into wet concrete. Dubbed “Splatatouille”…

A Japanese flower lures in pollinators with a strange perfume, new research finds. The weird scent belongs to Vincetoxicum nakaianum. It’s one of the flower species known as Japanese dogsbane.…

If you ever laugh when someone trips or drops their lunch tray, it may feel a little cruel — and it is. But like anger, sympathy or regret, that jolt…

When learning something new, old-fashioned Googling might be a smarter move than asking ChatGPT, a new study finds. Large language models, or LLMs, are artificial intelligence systems that power chatbots…

Viruses are tiny hijackers. These germs are simple microbes. Each one is just a set of genetic instructions — either DNA or RNA — inside a protein pouch. Unlike living…

In The Incredibles, Violet Parr is a lot like other teenagers. She has embarrassing parents, a troublesome little brother and a crush so intense it makes her want to disappear.…

In its final moments, Yuka the woolly mammoth may have been trying to outrun a cave lion. That’s the conclusion of scientists who have just studied some of its genetic…

Haboob (noun, “huh-BOOB”) A haboob is a kind of dust storm. When a thunderstorm occurs in the desert, a haboob might form. These storms look like huge, sandy walls as…