Topic

Science & Nature

A collection of 187 issues

The Impossible Case of Phineas Gage: The Man Who Survived a Hole in His Head

In 1848, railroad foreman Phineas Gage miraculously survived a 13-pound iron rod blasting through his skull. While he physically recovered, his personality changed drastically, providing the first major evidence linking the brain's frontal lobes to personality and social behavior.

Swiss Cheese Gets Its Holes Back: A 2025 Court Ruling Reverses a Decade of Purity

Increased hygiene caused Swiss cheese holes to disappear. A 2015 study revealed microscopic hay particles were the secret ingredient. Now, in a landmark 2025 ruling, the Swiss court has approved adding hay powder to milk, scientifically restoring the iconic eyes to traditional cheese.

Beyond the Soda Can: The Immortal Metal We Mistake for Trash

Often seen as disposable, aluminum is a champion of sustainability. An incredible 75% of all aluminum ever produced is still in use today, thanks to its infinite recyclability which saves 95% of the energy needed for primary production. It is a cornerstone material for a circular economy.

The Cosmic Fender Bender: How a 1980 Chevy Malibu Became the Most Famous Car Hit by a Meteorite

On October 9, 1992, a 12.57 kg meteorite blazed across the Eastern US, ending its 4.4-billion-year journey by smashing into the trunk of 17-year-old Michelle Knapp's 1980 Chevy Malibu in Peekskill, NY. The cosmic collision turned her $300 car into a priceless astronomical artifact.

More Than a Mansion: The Insane True Value of a Single Tulip Bulb in the 1630s

During the 1630s Dutch Tulip Mania, a single tulip bulb became a symbol of immense wealth. At its peak, a rare bulb's value was equivalent to a mansion, a large estate of land, or decades of a skilled worker's wages, showcasing one of history's first and most dramatic speculative bubbles.

The Cold Hard Truth: Why Winter Winds Pack More Punch for Power Grids

It's a common misconception that wind speed is the only factor in power generation. In reality, cold, dense air carries more mass, transferring significantly more kinetic energy to turbine blades than warm air at the exact same speed. This makes winter winds a potent source of electricity.

Copy, Paste, Ride: The Surprising and Common Reality of Horse Cloning

Horse cloning, once science fiction, is now a common practice in elite equestrian sports. Used to replicate champion geldings and preserve valuable bloodlines, the industry leverages technology to create genetic twins of top performers, especially in the world of polo.

Echoes of the Void: The Day Nikola Tesla Believed He Heard from Mars

In 1899, inventor Nikola Tesla detected rhythmic signals at his Colorado lab. Believing they were too orderly to be natural, he famously speculated they were an intelligent message from another world, possibly Mars, making him a pioneer in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

Bigger is Better: The Bizarre World of Parasite-Induced Gigantism

Parasite gigantism is a wild biological phenomenon where a parasite castrates its host, often a snail, to divert its reproductive energy into growth. This creates a larger, longer-living host that becomes a resource-rich factory for the parasite's offspring.