Articles by Joe Phelan, Live Science Contributor

Joe Phelan is a journalist based in London. His work has appeared in VICE, National Geographic, World Soccer and The Blizzard, and has been a guest on Times Radio. He is drawn to the weird, wonderful and under examined, as well as anything related to life in the Arctic Circle. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Chester.

Articles by: Joe Phelan

Military drone with a bomb at sunset. Attack drone in military conflicts.

DARPA is funding AI to help make battlefield decisions

By Joe Phelan published 19 September 23

The U.S. military research agency DARPA is spending millions to develop artificial intelligence that can help make strategic battlefield decisions.

Mother teaching her son to drive a bike.

How accurate are our first childhood memories?

By Joe Phelan published 18 September 23

Can we trust our earliest memories, or are they unreliable?

Close-up of young man singing karaoke while enjoying with friends in party.

Are some people actually tone deaf?

By Joe Phelan published 29 April 23

Tone deafness, a neurological disorder known as amusia, can make it hard to distinguish between musical pitches.

image of a middle age man consulting a doctor

Vasectomy: Procedure, risks and reversal

By Anna Gora published 2 March 23

Half a million men in the United States undergo a vasectomy every year. But how does this procedure work?

Mother and daughter (7 years) doing homework at table.

Why are kids such fast learners?

By Joe Phelan published 27 February 23

Most young children can easily pick up languages and learn immense amounts of knowledge in their early years. How do they pull this off?

Who invented the telephone?

By Joe Phelan published 26 February 23

Did Alexander Graham Bell really invent the telephone, or did he steal someone else's thunder?

image depicts a stressed asian couple looking at pieces of paper and a laptop

Can you 'catch' stress from other people?

By Joe Phelan published 20 February 23

Stress can be contagious, according to research. But there may be ways to prevent it.

Missile system on the background of sunset sky.

What stops nuclear weapons from accidentally detonating?

By Joe Phelan published 11 February 23

There are a few strategies for keeping nuclear weapons from accidentally detonating, including where and how the nuclear components are stored.

Shot of a young female doctor looking tired while working in a busy hospital

What is burnout?

By Joe Phelan published 7 February 23

Burnout is an “occupational phenomenon” that can occur when a person experiences long-term stress at work.

Is the Yellowstone supervolcano really 'due' for an eruption?

By Joe Phelan published 21 January 23

Yellowstone's supervolcano last erupted 70,000 years ago. Will it erupt again anytime soon?

woman heading out for an early morning run

Does short sleeper syndrome really exist?

By Joe Phelan published 17 January 23

REFERENCE Some people, from Barack Obama to Elon Musk, claim to sleep for very few hours each night.

What is Blue Monday and is it really the most depressing day of the year?

By Joe Phelan published 14 January 23

REFERENCE The third Monday in January has been coined "Blue Monday" and is suggested to be the saddest day of the year.

mother and daughter sat on the stairs hugging

How does grief affect the brain?

By Joe Phelan published 8 January 23

Grief can trigger a number of cognitive, behavioral and physiological changes.

Young Asian woman tasting a dish of pasta she prepared while serving food on the table at home.

Why do we crave comfort food?

By Joe Phelan published 6 January 23

Many of us seek solace in comfort foods during times of stress. But what makes them so appealing?

Is napping good for you? We ask the experts

By Joe Phelan published 5 January 23

Is a daytime snooze something to be avoided or embraced?

Jason Elam wades through flood waters around his home after Hurricane Nicole blew ashore on Nov. 10, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Rising sea levels could swamp the US coastline by 2050, NASA predicts

By Joe Phelan published 28 November 22

Sea levels are expected to rise around the contiguous U.S. faster than previously thought, a new NASA study finds.

Soldier in military uniform stands on the ruins.

Are humans inherently violent?

By Joe Phelan published 20 November 22

Human violence is in the news every day. But is violence innate in Homo sapiens?

A group of friends celebrating on a rooftop, with confetti in the air

Are humans limited to 150 friends?

By Joe Phelan published 16 October 22

"Dunbar's number" implies that our relationship threshold is limited to 150 people. But is this true?

Why do people have phobias?

By Joe Phelan published 26 September 22

Are some people more prone to developing phobias, and are these extreme aversions permanent?

Roman Forum at sunrise, from left to right: Temple of Vespasian and Titus, church of Santi Luca e Martina, Septimius Severus Arch, ruins of Temple of Saturn.

Why did the Roman Empire split in two?

By Joe Phelan published 25 September 22

The vast Roman Empire split into the Eastern Roman Empire and Western Roman Empire in the fourth century A.D.

Which animals could go extinct by 2050?

By Joe Phelan published 19 September 22

With climate change, habitat loss, overhunting and more, which animals are at risk of extinction by 2050?

A woman of color sleeps peacefully on her bed.

What happens in your brain while you sleep?

By Joe Phelan last updated 4 October 22

Our brains don't get a break while we sleep. What happens to this major organ while we snooze?

Close up of the face of a black cat with big green eyes on a black background.

Can cats really see in the dark?

By Joe Phelan last updated 15 September 22

How do cats navigate around rooms in the dark?

Could Earth ever leave our solar system?

By Joe Phelan last updated 29 August 22

Here's how the Earth could theoretically leave the solar system.

Male astronaut floating upside down in a tucked position in a space station. He has short blond hair and is wearing a gray jumpsuit.

How can you experience weightlessness?

By Joe Phelan published 7 August 22

How one earth (or space) can a person experience microgravity?

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