Certain ZIP Codes Pick Losers
People in certain ZIP codes are more likely to purchase products that flop, buy homes that are poor investments, and pick political candidates who lose. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Stories by Christopher Intagliata
Romans Would Roam for Wood
Archaeologists unearthed wood from a Roman villa when digging Rome’s subway—and scientists determined the planks came all the way from France. Christopher Intagliata reports. ...
Fishy Trick Lures Life Back to Coral Reefs
Playing the sounds of a healthy reef near damaged corals may help bring the fish community back. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Internet Cables Could Also Measure Quakes
The fiber-optic cables that connect the global Internet could potentially be used as seismic sensors. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Ancient Rock Art Got a Boost From Bacteria
Indigenous artists in what’s now British Columbia created pigments by cooking aquatic bacteria. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Bots Outperform Humans if They Impersonate Us
Bots masquerading as humans in a game outperformed their human opponents—but the their superiority vanished when their machine identity was revealed. Christopher Intagliata reports. ...
Dogs Like Motion That Matches Sound
Pet dogs appeared more interested in videos of a bouncing ball when the motion of the ball matched a rising and falling tone. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Aversion to Broccoli May Have Genetic Roots
Study subjects with a gene variant that heightened their sensitivity to bitterness tended to eat fewer vegetables than people who didn’t mind bitter flavors. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Marine Mammal Epidemic Linked to Climate Change
A measleslike virus is ricocheting through marine mammal populations in the Arctic—and melting sea ice might be to blame. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Familiar Tunes Rapidly Jog the Brain
Within just a third of a second of hearing a snippet of a familiar refrain, our pupils dilate, and the brain shows signs of recognition. Christopher Intagliata reports.
We Owe Our Pumpkins to Pooping Megafauna
The pumpkin’s ancestor was an incredibly bitter, tennis-ball-sized squash—but it was apparently a common snack for mastodons. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Bird Egg Colors Are Influenced by Local Climate
In cold, northern climates, eggs tend to be darker and browner—heat-trapping colors that allow parents to spend a bit more time away from the nest. Christopher Intagliata reports. ...
Crabs Do a Maze
Green crabs learned to navigate a maze without making a single wrong turn—and remembered the skill weeks later. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Piranha-Proof Fish Gives Inspiration for Body Armor
A gigantic fish from the Amazon has incredibly tough scales—and materials scientists are looking to them for bulletproof inspiration. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Some Mosquito Repellents Act like Invisibility Cloaks
Synthetic repellents such as DEET seem to mask the scent of our “human perfume”—making us less obvious targets for mosquitoes. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Your Skull Shapes Your Hearing
The resonant properties of your skull can amplify some frequencies and dampen others—and, in some cases, affect your hearing. Christopher Intagliata reports.
“Mars-quakes” Could Reveal How Mars Was Built
Rumblings on the Red Planet act like x-rays, allowing scientists to probe the hidden interior of Mars. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Artificial Intelligence Learns to Talk Back to Bigots
Algorithms are already used to remove online hate speech. Now scientists have taught an AI to respond—which they hope might spark more discourse. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Tiny Worms Are Equipped to Battle Extreme Environments
Scientists found eight species of nematodes living in California’s harsh Mono Lake—quintupling the number of animals known to live there. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Corals Can Inherit Symbiotic Adaptations to Warming
Adult corals can reshuffle their symbiotic algae species to adapt to warming waters—and, it appears they can pass those adaptations on. Christopher Intagliata reports.
