STEM

There are two types spiders in California whose bite you really want to avoid: widows and recluses.

Oregon grape is an attractive plant with edible berries. The plant contains berberine, which may have health benefits. Further research is needed to prove this.

Dark matter and dark energy are still huge mysteries in astrophysics. Alternate theories exist to help explain them.

Adrenaline or epinephrine is a hormone made by the adrenal glands. It's important in the stress response. Noradrenaline or norepinephrine is both a hormone and a neurotransmitter and is also involved in the stress response.

The Sunshine State has all sorts of over-sized bugs and creep-crawlies. This article looks at the biggest spiders in Florida.

Sickle cell disease is painful for sufferers and can sometimes be dangerous. Genome editing may one day correct the mutation that causes the disorder.

Our skin is an impressive organ that has many functions. For example, it reduces water loss, fights infections, helps regulate body temperature, and makes vitamin D.

The bunya pine produces huge and often very heavy cones. Its large seeds are both edible and tasty. The tree has a strange appearance and some unusual features.

Black holes, mysterious objects of the universe, have many different types. Do you know the differences between them all?

Bored with the 9, I mean 8, planets? Looking for some REAL cosmic fun? Well check out the moons of the Solar System in which you reside!! There are a lot of interesting tidbits...

Clostridium perfringens is a bacterium that is a common cause of foodborne illness. It might also cause some cases of multiple sclerosis.

Mudskippers are unusual fish that may spend more time on land than in water. They use their pectoral fins as legs and breathe through their skin as well as their gills.

Many crocuses bloom in the early spring and are a lovely sight. One type makes saffron. The toxic autumn crocus makes colchicine, which can act as a medicine.

Parasites are everywhere. They live on your skin, in your hair and even inside you! Some are harmless, many are necessary for health, and a few are DEADLY. Let's find out more about crazy PARASITES...

Mole and worm lizards are very unusual reptiles. They have elongated bodies that resemble those of earthworms and have one pair of legs or none at all.

Michael Collins was the pilot of the Command Module on the journey of the three-man crew to the moon during the epic 1969 Apollo 11 mission. This is his story.

The resins that some trees secrete when they're wounded can be useful for humans. Some are used as perfumes or medicines. Others have preserved ancient life forms.

Octopuses have fascinating abilities. Some have fins that help them move. Others demonstrate intelligence. The genome of one species is very unusual.

Most plants in the same family have similar characteristics. These similar characteristics can mostly be seen in their flowers.

What role does water play in life and what would happen if we were to lose it or it didn't exist? There are already parts of the world where we can see how life would change, if there were no water. This article explores it further.

The deadly nightshade plant, or belladonna, is extremely poisonous. It contains atropine, which is potentially dangerous but has important medical uses.

Parkinson's disease is caused by the death of brain cells that produce dopamine. Stem cell technology may provide a more effective treatment than current methods.

The frilled shark is a strange, deep-sea fish with a wide head, a huge mouth, and a long, eel-like body. Its population size is unknown. The fish is caught as bycatch in some areas, which is a concern.

Marmots are large ground squirrels that live in mountainous areas of British Columbia. They are social and very vocal animals that often form colonies. Three species of animals are commonly known as marmots in BC. One of them—the Vancouver Island Marmot—is critically endangered.

Snakehead fish are invasive species in North America. They are fierce predators and can breathe in air. They may be a serious threat to native wildlife.

Spiders are fascinating animals that help us by removing harmful insects from the environment. Spider silk is very strong and is potentially useful for humans.

What is the latest advancements in light physics?

Ever wondered how many M&M's can fit in a container?

The Surinam toad has a strange, flattened body. During reproduction, the female’s skin absorbs the fertilized eggs and the young toads develop under her skin.

Hydrochloric acid is made in the stomach and is a very helpful chemical. Too much or too little acid or acid in the wrong place can cause problems, however.

Working out the odds of an event occurring allows us to estimate the number of times that event will take place in future trials. Permutations/combinations are also an important part of the analysis.

What are the latest advancements in fluid physics?

The large or Malayan flying fox is one of the world's largest bats and has a wingspan of up to six feet. Its population is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN.

The mucus that covers fish has several functions, including protection from multiple dangers and serving as food for young fish. The substance may also be useful for us.

Pitcher plants produce cups that trap and digest prey. The digestive enzymes of one species can break down gluten and may help people with celiac disease.

Paneth cells are found in the glands of the small intestine. They play an important role in keeping the intestinal lining in good condition. A problem with autophagy or unfolded proteins in the cells has been repeatedly linked to Crohn's disease.

A look at the diversity of Arizona's Coconino National Forest and some of the wildlife that makes its home there, in the northern part of the state, including the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff

See pictures to help you identify the male and female Rose-breasted Grosbeak, plus learn facts about its migration and behavior.

NASA and SpaceX plan to colonize Mars within the 21st century. They are preparing ships, cargo, and crew for an intergalactic voyage mid-2030. Here is everything you need to know about living on Mars.

Lichens are interesting organisms that are important in their environment and useful for humans. Some produce chemicals that are potentially dangerous for us, however.

Bleach has potent antimicrobial properties and is also able to remove stains from fabrics. It has many uses, but it's potentially dangerous.

Cockroaches. They may be icky but they've got a lot of tricks up their hard little sleeves and you might be shocked to know what they're capable of and where they came from. Turn your repulsion to fascination right here with one click. I dare you.

The rainbow eucalyptus is an unusual tree with a beautiful, multicoloured trunk. The trunk's colours change as the tree sheds strips of bark, creating living art.

Mucus has vital functions, such as trapping germs in the airways, protecting the stomach lining from an acid attack, and lubricating the passage of materials through the digestive tract. Excess mucus can cause health problems, however. Mucus in the nose is often referred to as snot.

Discover 5 of the most terrifying prehistoric predators that lived in ice age North America during the time of the megafauna.

Gold has fascinated humans since it was first discovered. It has inspired love, poetry, art and music as well as greed, murder and warfare. Discover about gold with these amazing facts, pics, videos!

Coral bleaching is an event in which corals lose their pigment and main source of food. It often causes corals to die. Oxybenzone in sunscreens may contribute to coral bleaching.

In the summer of 1969, the spacecraft Apollo 11 made an epic journey to the moon with three brave astronauts aboard. The space flight culminated when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made an historic walk on the surface of the moon.

An amoeba is a one-celled creature with interesting features. Amoeboid organisms live in the environment and in our body. Some are harmless, but others cause disease.

President Kennedy set a lofty goal of putting a man on the moon before the end of the 1960s. This is the story of the Apollo Program leading up to the moon landing of Apollo 11.

Sardines and herring are nutritious foods. The behaviour of the living fish is interesting to study, however. They live in groups and communicate with their companions.

The Malayan tapir is an unusual animal with an extensible and mobile proboscis, or mini-trunk. Despite its size and bulk, this endangered animal can move fast.

Cinnabar is a beautiful but toxic red mineral made of mercury (ll) sulfide. It’s used as a source of mercury and to make an artist's pigment called vermilion.

Exciting disciplines that combine biology and math include biostatistics, epidemiology, bioinformatics, mathematical biology, and population ecology. The disciplines offer interesting careers.

Spiders both fascinate and frighten people. Check out these weird, amazing, interesting and fun facts about spiders taken from science, history, literature and mythology with cool photos and videos.

While the endurance and survival of humans in space is researched, distant travel is being considered among scientists. I discuss the methods of intergalactic travel.

Wild relatives of some major agricultural crops are in trouble. We need the genetic diversity in wild crops and the lower diversity present in cultivated ones to provide food security for the future.

Dandelions have culinary benefits and also produce a latex that can be used to make rubber. This is important, since the supply of natural rubber is decreasing.

Bone marrow is an essential tissue. It contains stem cells that produce all of our blood cells. Bone marrow transplants are used to treat some serious diseases.

Snakes are fascinating reptiles that have a wide variety of appearances and behaviors. Some snake characteristics are both strange and surprising.

In small quantities, nitric oxide has important functions and health benefits in our body. In large amounts, however, it's toxic to nerve cells.

Fishing cats are wild animals that feed primarily on fish and are at ease in water. Unfortunately, their population is in trouble due to habitat destruction.

Osteoblasts and osteoclasts control the production and disintegration of bone and the amount of calcium released from the bones into the bloodstream.

The wood frog survives freezing. A study of its adaptations for survival may be helpful in understanding human health problems and in the use of organs for transplants.

Narwhals are strange and fascinating Arctic whales. The males—and sometimes the females—have a very long tooth that grows through their lip, forming a tusk.

Although human blood is usually red it may have a different color, which indicates the presence of a health problem. Animals have a wide variety of blood colors.

Inky cap mushrooms such as shaggy manes become a black, inky liquid in order to disperse their spores. Some contain coprine, which increases the unpleasant effects of alcohol intake.

Chaos is a natural phenomena and it makes its presense known in the solar system but perhaps in the most unusual ways....

Has human evolution stopped or will our species continue to change?

Figuring out how the moon was created is one of the deepest mysteries of archeological astronomy. We do have ideas though...

Forsythia is an ornamental shrub that produces beautiful and abundant yellow flowers in late winter and early spring. The plant is named after William Forsyth, an eighteenth-century horticulturist.

Camel spiders and whip scorpions are fascinating and strange arachnids. Whip scorpions are sometimes called vinegaroons because they release acetic acid when alarmed.

The dragon blood tree of Socotra Island has an unusual appearance. It secretes a red resin known as dragon's blood when its bark is injured. The resin is used in many ways. The island is home to other fascinating and often unique organisms besides the tree.

The monkey puzzle tree is a very strange and interesting plant. It's native to South America but grows in parks and gardens in other areas as an introduced plant.

Solving triangles using Pythagoras's theorem, the cosine rule, the sine rule and various ways of calculating the area of a triangle.

When someone experiences a heart attack, cells in their heart die. Scientists have found two ways to replace the lost cells in rodents. The techniques may one day work in us.

The giant hogweed causes burns and blisters. Grapefruit juice interferes with many medicines. The chemicals that cause these effects are called furanocoumarins.

Fibronectin attaches cells to the extracellular matrix and controls their behaviour. It also helps to stop bleeding and is used in a fetal fibronectin test.

The difference between the colossal and giant squid, the real sea monsters that spawned the kraken legend, is about more than just size!

The Mariana Trench is the deepest place in the ocean and contains some fascinating animals. NOAA has made some exciting discoveries about life in the trench.

Some animals absorb chloroplasts or algal cells, which make food inside the animal's body. At least one kind of animal can make electricity from solar energy.

Some scientists are trying to bring extinct animals back to life through a process called cloning. The idea is exciting but also controversial.

Chloroform can act an anesthetic, but it’s toxic and causes serious health problems. There are ways to limit our exposure to the chloroform in the environment.

Formic acid is found in the sprayed venom of some ants and the secretions of some stinging nettles. The acid is dangerous at high concentrations but has important uses.

Michael Faraday, the son of an 18th Century blacksmith, became one of the greatest scientists of his age. One of his discoveries transformed the world and changed the way we live forever.

How many cats fit into the trunk of a Honda Civic....and other fun math problems involving our favorite feline friends

Hair color is primarily genetic, and red hair is caused by mutations in the MC1R gene. The gene for red hair also causes an increased sensitivity to sunlight and a reduced sensitivity to anesthesia. Contrary to internet rumors, redheads are not going extinct! Famous redheads include Queen Elizabeth I and Malcolm X.

The Polar Vortex is hitting the US hard, bringing bitterly cold temperatures across the Midwest, forcing school closures and governors of Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin to declare emergencies.

Unripe lychees and ackee fruits contain toxins. Both fruits should be eaten only when ripe. In addition, it's very important that ripe ackee is prepared properly.

AndroidX is an Android JetPack component which is designed to help remove boilerplate code from your applications and decrease time invested in making applications. In this article, we will have hands-on experience with the Navigation API.

Glaucoma is a vision problem caused by damage to the optic nerve. The pressure in the eyeball is often increased, but the disease is not fully understood. Recent research may change this situation.

The great horned owl is an avian apex predator. Possibly this bird is the finest predator to have ever lived.

If you have red hair or blue eyes, then you're a mutant. There's nothing you can do about it except read this page to find out why nature selected you for mutantdom.

For some duckweed is a menace, for others it's a Godsend. Here in Brazil, we have built duckweed ponds and are encouraging it to grow to use as an animal feed . This is just one of its many uses.

Some people believe that NDE is proof of an afterlife. However, science provides alternate, and more plausible, explanations.

Numbers are represented using different number systems dependant on their application. For example, numbers within computers use binary or hexadecimal. How do these different number systems work and how can numbers be converted between them?

Parasitic plants obtain their food or nutrients from another plant. The relationship may last for a long time, but sometimes the parasite kills its host.

The Himalayan blackberry is a beautiful plant in spring and summer. It produces delicious blackberries, but it's an invasive species and grows aggressively.

The hedge bindweed or morning glory twines around other plants and interferes with their growth. Bindweed produces large and beautiful flowers in summer.

Earwax is made by the lining of the ear canal and has important functions. An adequate amount of wax is necessary, but too much can lead to impaction and pain.