Reverse Engineering Mysterious 500-Million-Year-Old Fossils That Confound Our Tree of Life
A new high-tech approach is helping paleontologists better understand the link between a set of ancient fossils and modern animals
Stories by The Conversation US
Why Fathers Downplay Feelings
They don’t use hugs, but helping with tasks or activities is a man’s way of showing affection and should not be belittled
How Close Are We to a Real Star Trek–Style Medical Tricorder?
Vital signs information and images aren’t enough for a fully automated device that can tell you what’s actually wrong with a patient
What Went Wrong with the F-35, Lockheed Martin's Joint Strike Fighter?
The F-35 was billed as a fighter jet that could do almost everything the U.S. military desired but has turned out to be one of the greatest boondoggles in recent military purchasing history
Designing Antiviral Proteins Via Computer Could Help Halt the Next Pandemic
If we want to be prepared for the worst, Bill Gates says, we have to build an arsenal of vaccines, drugs and diagnostics. Some scientists are now using computers to do just that
Does TV Cultivate Authoritarianism?
Researchers think television may promote “authoritarian values” that paved the way for Donald Trump
Air Travel Exposes You to Radiation--How Much Health Risk Comes with It?
This past April business traveler Tom Stuker became the world’s most frequent flyer, logging 18 million miles of air travel on United Airlines over the last 14 years
The Other Reason to Shift away from Coal: Air Pollution That Kills Thousands Every Year
Shifting coal-fired power plants in the U.S. to natural gas would have tremendous positive effects on human health in America
Making Flexible Electronics with Nanowire Networks
If flexible smartphones, e-paper and a new generation of smart watches are to succeed, we’ll need to invent something new
Working Memory: How You Keep Things "In Mind" Over the Short Term
Given its central role in our mental life working memory may become important in our quest to understand consciousness itself
Could Cold Spot in the Sky Be a Bruise from a Collision with a Parallel Universe?
Once thought to be a “supervoid” this anomalously cold region of the sky mystifies scientists, who continue to develop wild new explanations
Why Killing Coyotes Doesn't Make Livestock Safer
There is no clear evidence that lethal control works to reduce human-predator conflict. It can even make the problem worse
7 in 10 Smartphone Apps Share Your Data with Third-Party Services
The majority of apps running on Android and iOS smartphones report personal data to third-party tracking companies like Google, Facebook or Crashlytics
How Do the Chemicals in Sunscreen Protect Our Skin from Damage?
Recognition of the risks posed by UV rays has motivated scientists to study what’s going on in our cells when they’re in the sun—and devise modern ways to ward off that damage
Neuromechanics of Flamingos' Amazing Feats of Balance
Anyone who’s tried to hold “tree pose” in yoga will appreciate just how difficult it is to stand on one foot for any length of time
What Are Software Vulnerabilities, and Why Are There So Many of Them?
It can be useful to think of hackers as burglars and malicious software as their burglary tools
Giraffes Are in Trouble--the U.S. Endangered Species Act Can Help
The African mammal’s population numbers in the wild have dipped below 100,000
Fidget Toys Aren't Just Hype
Despite sometimes being an annoying distraction for others, fidget items can have some practical uses for adults
Why Banning Laptops from Airplane Cabins Doesn't Make Sense
It’s tempting to think that any level of cost and inconvenience is sensible if it cuts the risk of an attack even a little. But risks, inherent in flying and even driving, can never be avoided entirely
Why Installing Software Updates Makes Us WannaCry
All people had to do to stay safe from the global WannaCry ransomware attack was update their software. But people often don’t, for a number of specific reasons
