Pyrolysis (noun, “Py-RAW-leh-sis”) Pyrolysis is a process though which heat breaks down large molecules into smaller ones. It is just one of the chemical reactions that occurs when something is…

Since June, scientists have been warning that Earth might experience an El Niño unlike any other. It now appears they were right. The periodic climate beast that emerged this year…

Imagine a superhero that can release a smell so pungent that its enemies stop fighting. For naked mole-rats, the queen wields such power. Naked mole-rat queens release a calming scent to control their colonies,…

Humans aren’t the only animals who fart. Take Dakota, an English cocker spaniel. When she was getting older, she could no longer hold in her gas, says Em Finke, Dakota’s…

One recent morning, as I was getting ready for the day, I carefully snapped a small sensor to my underwear — right under my butt. Then I worked out, did…

Earth’s oceans are heating up. But since the 19th century, one patch in the North Atlantic has cooled by about 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit). Scientists now think they…

Hugs and kisses could help primates keep the peace. A new study shows that chimps and bonobos might use friendly physical touch to calm each other in stressful situations. Let’s…

In the movie WALL-E, the last Earthlings travel through the Kuiper Belt on board the starship Axiom. For 700 years, a fully automated crew of robots has cared for them…

Paradox (noun, “PAR-uh-dox”) A paradox is when a scenario seems — at first — impossible. It goes against what your gut feeling tells you is true. Once resolved, however, a…