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…

The three-banded armadillo has an unusual way to protect itself. When threatened, it rolls itself up. The adorable mammal’s thick plates form a nearly impenetrable ball that just may save…

Nearly 2 million years ago, a leopard in Africa sank its teeth into the face of an early human. This bite etched tiny tooth marks into the unlucky person’s jawbone.…

While at Brown University in Providence, R.I., oceanographer Lily Dove studied the physics of Antarctica’s Southern Ocean with the help of some unusual, furry assistants: Antarctic seals. “They’re oceanographers,” she…

When you hear the word “fossil,” you might at first think of a dinosaur skeleton at your local museum. Or perhaps the imprints of leaves or shells in a rock…

Proteins are made of building blocks known as amino acids. Human proteins are made of various combinations of 20 of these. A diet especially rich in one of them —…

Antimatter (noun, “AN-tee-MAT-ter”) Antimatter is made of antiparticles. Think of antiparticles like partners of ordinary particles, but with the opposite properties. You’ve likely heard of protons, neutrons and electrons. These…