Why Does Caffeine Exist?
Today, billions of people around the world start their day with caffeine. But how and why did the ability to produce this molecule independently evolve in multiple, distantly-related lineages of…
Olin Lagon: Who Are Native Hawaiians Most Related To? You May Be Surprised
Absolutely fascinating article about DNA sequencing, Polynesian medical risk factors, and more
Ian Mortimer on the extraordinary scale of the Black Death and how its aftermath transformed England’s social order
Discover the terrifying diseases that people feared most, the extraordinary scale of the Black Death and how its aftermath helped transform England’s social order. Meet a famous medieval 'traveller', and…
The World’s First Museums Were Weird
Before museums, there were rooms of wonder filled with unicorn horns, automatons, coral, coins, and relics from around the world.
What to know about US measles cases on the rise
Aug 25 (Reuters) - Two Pennsylvania residents have died due to measles, health officials said on Tuesday, the first U.S. deaths from the disease reported in 2026 and the first…
Geo Rutherford visits the hottest river in the world
spooky rivers
Bird Note: Your River’s Keeper
Water is essential for life, but how much do you know about the health of your local water supply? In this special episode, we speak with two Riverkeepers who explain…
The Arms Race That Made Insects Take Flight
Spiders and their ancestors have been driving an arms race that began before either stepped foot onto land and resulted in the first powered flight on Earth.
Super El Niño Drives an August Weather Shift as Fall and Winter Signals Strengthen
A powerful Super El Niño is showing rapid development across the tropical Pacific, with increasingly visible atmospheric impacts. The latest ocean analysis and forecast data show the event moving toward…
Why We Only Have Ten Toes
Today, all mammals from humans to bats have five fingers or fewer. Yes, even whales, whose finger bones are hidden in their fins. Birds have four or fewer and amphibians…