Chernobyl's nuclear fuel is 'smoldering' again and could explode By Brandon Specktor published 14 May 21 Tons of nuclear waste in the ruined basement of Chernobyl's Unit Four reactor are beginning to react again, and it could explode within years, scientists say.
Alcohol made from radioactive Chernobyl apples seized by Ukraine government By Brandon Specktor published 11 May 21 The first batch of Atomik, an artisanal spirit made from apples grown near Chernobyl, was suddenly seized by the Ukrainian government.
Medieval shrine gets stone carving of face wearing a COVID-19 mask By Mindy Weisberger published 11 May 21 Visitors to a newly-restored shrine in the St. Albans Cathedral will be greeted by a carved stone face wearing a protective mask.
'Imaginary' numbers are real (sort of) By Stephanie Pappas published 10 May 21 Imaginary numbers have real meaning in the world of quantum mechanics, where they carry information about physical states.
How many bubbles are in a glass of beer? By Mindy Weisberger published 3 May 21 Scientists recently counted the bubbles produced by dissolved carbon dioxide in a glass of poured beer, finding that bubbles can number in the millions.
'Brazil nut puzzle' cracked by researchers By Ben Turner published 20 April 21 The research isn't all for nutting; scientists say it will help a number of industries, from pharmaceuticals to mining.
Scientists created the whitest paint ever By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 19 April 21 Engineers have created the whitest paint ever, and they think it can help fight a warming planet.
Bizarre 'worm tornado' in New Jersey has scientists baffled By Mindy Weisberger published 30 March 21 A resident of Hoboken, New Jersey spotted the unusual worm spiral after days of heavy rainfall.
Could humans ever be venomous? By Stephanie Pappas published 29 March 21 Humans have what it takes to make venom, but it may not be worth the trouble.
To be declassified: UFO broke sound barrier with no sonic boom By Stephanie Pappas published 23 March 21 Former Trump intelligence director John Ratcliffe told Fox News that more unexplained sightings of flying objects will soon be declassified.
Woman cries blood tears during menstruation in 'rare and unusual clinical case' By Mindy Weisberger published 22 March 21 In "a rare and unusual clinical case," doctors described a young woman whose menstrual cycle made her weep tears that were made of blood.
An 'absolute plague' of mice is ravaging eastern Australia By Brandon Specktor published 21 March 21 A productive grain harvest has resulted in a 'plague' of mice rampaging through Australia, and locals are sick of cleaning up their poo.
Meet the swirlon, a new kind of matter that bends the laws of physics By Stephanie Pappas published 1 March 21 A new form of active matter known as swirlonic matter clumps together in quasi-particles that bend the laws of physics.
Alligators in Oklahoma turn into 'popsicles' sticking out of the frozen water By Laura Geggel published 27 February 21 Alligators often 'snorkel' during cold snaps, so they don't become trapped underwater without access to air.
Overgrown sheep 'Baarack' gets epic quarantine haircut, loses 78 lbs. of matted wool By Mindy Weisberger published 26 February 21 A sheep found wandering wild in Victoria, Australia carried a massive coat of fleece weighing as much as a 10-year-old child.
Hidden 'madman' message on 'The Scream' traced back to Munch himself By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 22 February 21 Experts have long debated the identity of the inscriber, with some suggesting a dissatisfied vandalizer is the author, while others pointed fingers at the Norwegian painter himself.
New AI 'Ramanujan Machine' uncovers hidden patterns in numbers By Stephanie Pappas published 14 February 21 A new artificially intelligent 'Ramanujan Machine' can generate hundreds of new mathematical conjectures, which might lead to new math proofs and theorems.
How does the rubber pencil illusion work? By Isobel Whitcomb published 7 February 21 The rubber pencil illusion works because our brain can't keep up.
Venus flytraps produce magnetic fields when they eat By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 5 February 21 These carnivorous plants generate tiny magnetic signals when they clamp down on insects.
'Pile of rope' on a Texas beach is a weird, real-life sea creature By Mindy Weisberger published 4 February 21 Frequently mistaken for discarded piles of beach trash, ropelike sea whips are a type of colorful coastal coral.
