What Gives Christmas Trees Their Crisp, Cozy Scent?
December 20, 2024 3 min read Learn which molecules are responsible for giving Christmas trees their distinct, crisp-yet-spicy scent By Meghan Bartels edited by Lauren J. Young Iuliia Bondar/Getty Images Nothing smells quite like a Christmas tree—but where does that magical woodsy-yet-cozy aroma come from? You can thank a ubiquitous category of chemicals called terpenes.
Our Bodies Are So Ready to Celebrate the Rebirth of the Sun
December 20, 2024 4 min read Our Bodies Are So Ready to Celebrate the Rebirth of the Sun The winter solstice is the culmination of a period every year when each cell in our body literally craves more light By Gary Stix edited by Dean Visser Winter solstice in snowy forest. Iryna Khabliuk/Alamy Stock Photo
The Human Brainwaves Centennial Exposes a Darker Science History
This year is the centennial of the discovery of human brain waves. Few people know the story of that startling finding, because the true story was suppressed and lost to history. Almost two decades ago I visited the pioneering scientists’ labs in Germany and Italy seeking answers. What I learned overturned accepted history and exposed
How Do We Name the Stars?
Betelgeuse! Betelgeuse! Betelgeuse! Did it explode? No? Okay, then. But it seems fair to ask: Why “Betelgeuse”? It’s an odd-seeming name for a star. That’s because it’s a corrupted translation of the Arabic phrase yad al-jawzā’, which roughly translates to “the hand of Orion”—a decent moniker for the star that does represent the constellation’s upraised
Conservation Efforts Save Pandas, Wolves and Panthers from Extinction
Rachel Feltman: If I asked you to guess how many animal species are threatened with extinction right now, would you have a number in your head? Is it hundreds, thousands? [CLIP: Theme music] Feltman: Well, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, it’s about 17,800 of them. On supporting science journalism If you're
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