Research roundup: Six cool science stories we almost missed
It’s a regrettable reality that there is never enough time to cover all the interesting scientific stories we come across each month. So every month, we highlight a handful of…
How to make any smartphone easier to use for a senior citizen
If you didn’t grow up with smartphones and tablets, then the touchscreen inputs, busy interfaces, and multiple apps can quickly become overwhelming. If you have parents or grandparents who struggle…
The strange animals that control their body heat
In 1774, British physician-scientist Charles Blagden received an unusual invitation from a fellow physician: to spend time in a small room that was hotter, he wrote, “than it was formerly…
Google quantum-proofs HTTPS by squeezing 2.5kB of data into 64-byte space
Google on Friday unveiled its plan for its Chrome browser to secure HTTPS certificates against quantum computer attacks without breaking the Internet. The objective is a tall order. The quantum-resistant…
World’s smallest QR code is thinner than a lightwave
QR codes are designed to be used as quickly and easily as possible. But while tens of millions of the black-and-white gridworks are used every day, few people are likely…
Photons that aren’t actually there influence superconductivity
Despite the headline, this isn’t really a story about superconductivity—at least not the superconductivity that people care about, the stuff that doesn’t require exotic refrigeration to work. Instead, it’s a…
Long-lost silent film depicts first ‘robot’ in cinema
Archivists at the Library of Congress believe they may have discovered the first depiction of a robot in cinemas, thanks to a 127-year-old reel that had been gathering dust in…
What time is it on Mars? This analog ‘Interplanetary Clock’ can tell you.
If humans ever expect to live on Mars, we’re going to need to get very good at keeping Martian time. The task is simple enough on Earth, thanks to standardized…
11 cool photos to celebrate International Polar Bear Day
Happy International Polar Bear Day! For 21 years, conservation nonprofit Polar Bears International has celebrated these vulnerable bears with a day of conservation action and learning. Right now, polar bear…
Neanderthals seemed to have a thing for modern human women
By now, it’s firmly established that modern humans and their Neanderthal relatives met and mated as our ancestors expanded out of Africa, resulting in a substantial amount of Neanderthal DNA…