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Mysteries of Stephen Hawking’s Doodle-Filled Blackboard May Finally Be Deciphered

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A new museum exhibit hopes to uncover the secrets behind the doodles, in-jokes and coded messages on a blackboard that legendary physicist Stephen Hawking kept untouched for more than 35 years.   The blackboard dates from 1980, when Hawking joined fellow physicists at a conference on superspace and supergravity at the University of Cambridge in … Read more

Scientists Made a ‘Fish’ From Human Cardiac Cells, And It Swims Like a Beating Heart

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With its tail flipping rhythmically from side to side, this strange synthetic fish scoots around in its salt and glucose solution, using the same power as our beating hearts. This nifty miniaturized circulatory system, developed by scientists at Harvard and Emory universities, can keep swimming to the beat for more than 100 days.   The … Read more

What is bitcoin and how does it work?

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Bitcoin is a digital currency which operates free of any central control or the oversight of banks or governments. Instead it relies on peer-to-peer software and cryptography. A public ledger records all bitcoin transactions and copies are held on servers around the world. Anyone with a spare computer can set up one of these servers, … Read more

How does terraforming work in the Alien universe?

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The subject of terraforming lies at the center of James Cameron’s Aliens, at least when it comes to worldbuilding. Released in 1979, Ridley Scott’s Alien already saw a group of space truckers visit an unknown “planetoid,” which would later become LV-426 in the 1986 sequel. And spacesuits weren’t needed anymore to walk on its surface … Read more

This scientist accused the supplement industry of fraud. Now, his own work is under fire | Science

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In 2013, a team led by Steven Newmaster, a botanist at the University of Guelph (UG), took a hard look at popular herbal products such as echinacea, ginkgo biloba, and St. John’s wort. The team published a study that used DNA barcoding—a system to identify species using small, unique snippets of genetic material—to test whether … Read more

How does metal 3D printing work?

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Metal 3D printing can produce the most intricate rocket parts, using combustion-resistant material. While 3D printing isn’t new, how has the technology advanced to face the more extreme conditions of space? From plastic to metal Since the first 3D printers appeared in the 1980s, its applications have continued to grow. Initially, the technology was relatively … Read more

Pavlovian Experiments on Locusts Provide New Clues on How Smell Works in The Brain

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From the fragrance of brewing coffee to the smell of rain soaking the soil, distinguishing scents is one of the reasons that having a sense of smell is wonderful. But how smells such as coffee can be understood by our brain, no matter the season, location, or time is a complex question to answer. There’s … Read more

Heating Up Testicles With Nanoparticles Can Work as Male Contraception. Here’s How

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Women have a variety of methods for contraception, but only two methods are commonly available to men: condoms and vasectomies. Both methods have their drawbacks. Condoms can break, and some men are allergic to the latex in standard condoms. Vasectomies are surgical procedures that can be painful and difficult to reverse.   So the search … Read more

Happiness Through Work? The Science of Work-Life Balance Might Surprise You

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Finding the right work-life balance is by no means a new issue in our society. But the tension between the two has been heightened by the pandemic, with workers increasingly dwelling over the nature of their work, its meaning and purpose, and how these affect their quality of life.   Studies suggest people are leaving … Read more