Life's Little Mysteries

The universe may be vast, but researchers have multiple points of evidence that reveal its shape.

Sometimes dark or milk chocolate gets a white sheen or blotchy white spots on it. What is happening, and is chocolate that has turned white safe to eat?

As global temperatures rise, the ecology of Antarctica is already changing, but Earth's climate would have to change drastically before the continent could support agriculture and permanent settlers.

The biggest blasts come from above, while volcanic eruptions and human-caused detonations have also unleashed incredible levels of energy.

The universe is about 13.8 billion years old, but how do we know that?

Race and ethnicity are terms that are sometimes used sloppily, almost interchangeably. But race and ethnicity are not the same thing.

Birds have sex via an internal chamber called a cloaca that is present on both male and female animals.

It can be a freeing feeling to shuck off your shoes and walk outside barefoot...until you get a splinter.

What is the deadliest month for people living in the United States?

If Earth had no atmosphere, the moon would be visible all the time. So why is it only sometimes visible in daylight?

Cats can squeeze through impossibly small holes, but how does their anatomy enable them to do this?

If humans had tails, what would they be like, and how would we use them?

Many fairytales have an evil stepmother who is determined to ruin the lives of her stepchildren. But what are the roots of this age-old trope?

Do astronomers know which star is the oldest and which is the youngest in the universe? How can they tell?

Tyrannosaurus rex and many of its theropod cousins had large bodies but tiny arms. What gives?

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

Shedding fur is useful for cats and dogs. Here's why they do it.

Here's what made the "man in the moon" and why these "facial" geological features are here to stay.