
Joe Phelan
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.
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What is the coldest city in the world?The coldest city in the world is in Siberia, where temperatures plummet to minus 76 degrees Fahrenheit. Here's why it's so cold there.
By Joe Phelan Last updated
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Many kids are unsure if Alexa and Siri have feelings or think like people, study findsA small study in Scotland suggests many kids overestimate the agency and intellect of AI assistants like Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant.
By Joe Phelan Published
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DARPA is funding AI to help make battlefield decisionsThe U.S. military research agency DARPA is spending millions to develop artificial intelligence that can help make strategic battlefield decisions.
By Joe Phelan Published
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How accurate are our first childhood memories?Can we trust our earliest memories, or are they unreliable?
By Joe Phelan Published
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Are some people actually tone deaf?Tone deafness, a neurological disorder known as amusia, can make it hard to distinguish between musical pitches.
By Joe Phelan Published
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Vasectomy: Procedure, risks and reversalHalf a million men in the United States undergo a vasectomy every year. But how does this procedure work?
By Anna Gora Published
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Why are kids such fast learners?Most young children can easily pick up languages and learn immense amounts of knowledge in their early years. How do they pull this off?
By Joe Phelan Published
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Who invented the telephone?Did Alexander Graham Bell really invent the telephone, or did he steal someone else's thunder?
By Joe Phelan Published
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Can you 'catch' stress from other people?Stress can be contagious, according to research. But there may be ways to prevent it.
By Joe Phelan Published
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Alzheimer's disease: Brain changes, symptoms and treatmentAlzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia that causes memory and thinking problems, as well as behavioral changes, in adults.
By Cari Nierenberg Last updated
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What stops nuclear weapons from accidentally detonating?There are a few strategies for keeping nuclear weapons from accidentally detonating, including where and how the nuclear components are stored.
By Joe Phelan Published
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What is burnout?Burnout is an “occupational phenomenon” that can occur when a person experiences long-term stress at work.
By Joe Phelan Published
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Parkinson's disease: Risks, symptoms and treatmentAround 500,000 Americans are currently diagnosed as having Parkinson's disease.
By Cari Nierenberg Last updated
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Is the Yellowstone supervolcano really 'due' for an eruption?Yellowstone's supervolcano last erupted 70,000 years ago. Will it erupt again anytime soon?
By Joe Phelan Published
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Does short sleeper syndrome really exist?REFERENCE Some people, from Barack Obama to Elon Musk, claim to sleep for very few hours each night.
By Joe Phelan Published
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What is Blue Monday and is it really the most depressing day of the year?REFERENCE The third Monday in January has been coined "Blue Monday" and is suggested to be the saddest day of the year.
By Joe Phelan Published
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How does grief affect the brain?Grief can trigger a number of cognitive, behavioral and physiological changes.
By Joe Phelan Published
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Why do we crave comfort food?Many of us seek solace in comfort foods during times of stress. But what makes them so appealing?
By Joe Phelan Published
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Is napping good for you? We ask the expertsIs a daytime snooze something to be avoided or embraced?
By Joe Phelan Published
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Rising sea levels could swamp the US coastline by 2050, NASA predictsSea levels are expected to rise around the contiguous U.S. faster than previously thought, a new NASA study finds.
By Joe Phelan Published
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Are humans inherently violent?Human violence is in the news every day. But is violence innate in Homo sapiens?
By Joe Phelan Published
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Is Mount Everest really the tallest mountain on Earth?Other mountains could be considered Earth's tallest; it just depends how you measure them.
By Joe Phelan Last updated
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Are humans limited to 150 friends?"Dunbar's number" implies that our relationship threshold is limited to 150 people. But is this true?
By Joe Phelan Published
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What happens in your brain while you sleep?Our brains don't get a break while we sleep. What happens to this major organ while we snooze?
By Joe Phelan Last updated
