Genetic inheritance may sound straightforward: One gene causes one trait or a specific illness. When doctors use genetics, it’s usually to try to identify a disease-causing gene to help...
Every day, your immune system performs a delicate balancing act[1], defending you from thousands of pathogens that cause disease while sparing your body’s own healthy cells. This careful equilibrium...
Whisper networks[1] are informal channels that women use to warn each other about sexual harassment, abuse or assault. The reason they work isn’t because they are secret – they...
An antibiotic discovered on Easter Island in 1964 sparked a billion-dollar pharmaceutical success story. Yet the history told about this “miracle drug” has completely left out the people and...
Curious Kids[1] is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.[2]. Who invented the light...
If you were lucky 74,000 years ago, you would have survived the Toba supereruption[1], one of the largest catastrophic events that Earth has seen in the past 2.5 million...
For athletes across all sports, few experiences are as agonizing as being forced to leave competition with a sudden muscle cramp. These painful, uncontrolled spasms – formally known as...