A shard of smooth bone etched with irregular marks dating back 20,000 years puzzled archaeologists until they noticed something unique – the etchings, lines like tally marks, may have represented prime numbers[1]. Similarly, a clay tablet from 1800 B.C.E.[2] inscribed with Babylonian numbers describes a number system built on prime numbers.
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Biotech company Colossal Biosciences made headlines in April 2025 after claiming it had “successfully restored … the dire wolf[1] to its rightful place in the ecosystem.” Three wolf pups – Romulus, Remus and Khaleesi – were born through this de-extinction project[2].
But behind the scenes lies a more complicated reality.
What Colossal...
Male fertility rates have been plummeting over the past half-century[1]. An analysis from 1992 noted a steady decrease in sperm counts and quality since the 1940s[2]. A more recent study found that male infertility rates increased nearly 80% from 1990 to 2019[3]. The reasons driving this trend remain a mystery, but frequently cited culprits...
When the computer or phone you’re using right now blinks its last blink and you drop it off for recycling, do you know what happens?
At the recycling center, powerful magnets will pull out steel. Spinning drums will toss aluminum into bins. Copper wires will get neatly bundled up for resale. But as the conveyor belt keeps rolling, tiny...