Many nursery rhymes are meant to teach simple lessons, but “If you’re happy and you know it” may also be a step towards diagnosing a neurological disorder. While most toddlers are probably more concerned with learning the order of hand-clapping and foot-stomping, the simple song’s question about knowing when you’re happy is actually a significant … Continue reading Overactive olfactory abilities provide clues about people who can’t understand the...

Even though they’re too young to drive, my kids have already learned to dread traffic. They know how car-clogged roads make us tense, late, and are generally unpleasant, even before you start worrying about noise, air pollution and increased risks for accidents. As much as this may seem like an unavoidable part of driving a … Continue reading Urban traffic has been terrible for at least two thousand years

I’ve made a few origami frogs in the past, and while they did successfully hop, I never appreciated how close I was to making a robot. The amount of potential and kinetic energy in the frog’s flexing legs seemed negligible, but apparently carefully controlled folding can not only trigger movement, but it can offer some … Continue reading Origami-inspired robots promise significant strength in a soft, squishy shell

What are the odds that we’re all alien life forms? Even if your family has been in your home town for generations, there’s a chance that all life on Earth originated elsewhere, and was somehow transported to this planet billions of years ago. The idea is known as panspermia, and is usually based around the … Continue reading High-speed dust could help spread life throughout outer space

How much would you pay for a fruit that’s mostly rind, doesn’t taste good, and can make you vomit if you eat too much of it? If you were a citizen of ancient Rome, probably a lot. Citrus fruit, originating in east Asia, was hard to come by in the Mediterranean two thousand years ago, … Continue reading Ancient Romans sought out citrus fruit as status symbols more than food