Laura Poppick

Future air bags will be "smarter" and will react to crashes as they happen, reducing air bag-induced injuries, researchers say.

Scientists have long struggled to explain why zebras have dark stripes. Now, a new study suggests that the stripes help these grazers stay cool in the midday equatorial heat.

Droughts in California may cause not only water shortages, but also conditions ripe for dangerous forest fires, landslides and poor water quality.

A remote-controlled underwater robot has collected the most detailed information yet about the underbelly of stable Arctic sea ice.

Regions of the world that experience extreme weather shifts due to climate change may become more vulnerable to the spread of cholera, scientists report.

Specimens collected during the early 20th century Crocker Land Expedition to northwest Greenland still benefit science today.

Fallen logs and wooden remnants of old shipwrecks promote hotspots of life in the otherwise empty deep seafloor.

Global sea level could rise between 10 to 13 feet if a relatively small mass of ice currently corking an Antarctic Ice Sheet were to melt with warming sea water.

Hummingbirds diversified quickly over the past 22 million years, and continues to diversify today.

A total of 338 hummingbird species are known to live on the planet, making hummingbirds amongst the most diverse bird groups.

Mexican blind cavefish don't need eyes to navigate through dark waters – they use mouth suction to detect objects, according to a new study.

Birth rates have distinct seasonalities around the world that could help determine optimal times to administer annual vaccination campaigns in developing countries.

Wearable technology, such as smart wristbands, may be the next new tool to help treat conditions such as autism and depression.

Members of about 100 countries have joined together to issue a new report that emphasizes the immediacy of dangers related to climate change.

Mudslides can happen in any state in the U.S., but tend to be particularly common on the West Coast. We explore why that is.

With the help of a pair of crystals and a wooden stick, the Vikings may have been able to use the sun to navigate across the North Atlantic even after sunset.

The Vikings navigated the North Atlantic using a tool known as a twilight compass.

The International Space Station is now equipped with a new instrument that will help study lightning strikes in detail.

Iron-rich dust from New Zealand may have lowered global temperatures during the last ice age.

Dust produced by New Zealand glaciers may have contributed to cooling in the Southern Ocean during the last ice age, scientists say.

Most snakes have poor navigational capabilities, but the Burmese python can navigate home after being transported more than 20 miles away, using an internal map and compass.