Ancient Romans Saved Their Urine For A Surprisingly Clever Reason
Urine isn't the most pleasant liquid, but it had its uses to the ancient Romans, who used it as a potentially unexpected cleaning agent.
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2023
Daniel Meagher
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Stories By Daniel Meagher
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The Difference Between Orange And White Pumpkins Is Easily Explained By Science
Colorful pumpkins abound in autumn, with a bit of genetics and specific breeding accounting for the shapes and sizes of all those different gourds.
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Scientists Sealed People In A Space Station Simulation For 240 Days, Then Something Went Wrong
Space is a dangerous place, not least because there's nowhere to go, that's why even disastrous experiments can sometimes be viewed as a success.
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8 People Were Sealed In An Everest Simulation For 40 Days. They Didn't Expect What Happened Next
Scientists studying how humans acclimate to the extremely low pressures of Mount Everest were shocked at the response of the brain and body.
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In The '30s, Military Scientists Conducted Gruesome Human Experiments. The Results Were Horrifying
Though there's plenty to be said about bizarre experiments conducted by the U.S. military, other countries also conducted their own horrific (and lethal) tests.
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The Evolutionary Quirk That Keeps Making Species Look Like Crabs
One of the most meme-worthy phenomena in evolutionary biology is carcinization, the tendency of crustaceans to evolve into crab-like forms.
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A 240 Million-Year-Old Fossil Was Found By Accident. Scientists Didn't Expect What Happened Next.
Have you ever been building a fence when you accidentally help rewrite an entire branch of the tree of life? Me either, but it happened in Australia.
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Scientists Remapped The Deepest Point On Earth. Their Answer Came With A Catch
The depths of the Earth are more mysterious than outer space, and scientists are still exploring them, though this study proved there's still far more to learn.
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In The '60s, The US Military Buried Toxic Waste At A Maryland Fort. They're Still Cleaning It Up
The toxic waste left over from various tests and experiments was dumped at this fort, possibly leading to detrimental long-term effects on people in the area.
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Scientists Analyzed 2,000-Year-Old Human Poop. It Was Hiding More Than Ancient Waste
Ancient samples of human waste isn't just gross; it actually says a lot about humanity's past. But it might also play a part in humanity's future.
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Why Experts Compare The Drug Used In Christa Pike's Failed Execution To Drowning
The death penalty is a controversial subject which many consider to be a cruel and unusual punishment, especially since it simulates drowning.
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Physics Has A Cool Rule About Sound. Once You Know It, You'll Hear It Everywhere
There's a specific little quirk to how we often mimic sound, as we typically account for this rule, which is actually relevant to multiple scientific fields.
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Scientists Looked More Than 1,800 Feet Underground And Found A Hidden World Of Life
Life thrives in the open air and water where it has access to sunshine and a bounty of nutrients, but it also thrives where you wouldn't expect.
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The Disgusting Fart Myth That's Been Debunked By Science
Given that farts are taboo almost everywhere, they leave a lot of room for myths to spring up, but not all of these beliefs are backed by science.
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Scientists Reconstructed A 1 Million-Year-Old Skull. They Didn't Expect What Happened Next.
Back in the '90s, researchers discovered a fragmented million-year-old human skull in China. Reconstructing it changed our evolutionary assumptions.
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Scientists Still Can't Explain The Mystery Behind Gen Alpha's Growing 'Epidemic'
There's no denying that Gen Alpha has had it rough, what with COVID and everything else, but scientists are still wondering about this epidemic.
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Not Depression, Not Anxiety: Scientists Say This Gen Alpha Epidemic Is Worse Than Ever Before
It's a struggle for everyone lately, not least the kids; but it's not just depression or anxiety that Gen Alpha has to worry about, there's more ...
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The US Military Has Weapons In Outer Space. Here's What We Know About Them
The U.S. Air Force has admitted to having weapons of some kind in space, claiming that they exist for defensive purposes, though exact details are still sparse.
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Not Thinking, Not Problem-Solving: Scientists Say This Skill Can Help Promote Good Health
Health is rather holistic, so taking care of the mind can also take care of the body, though it may come as a surprise that this skill is so consequential.
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Scientists Say These Ancient Teeth Can Explain Why Humans Are So Hesitant To Eat Bugs
Bugs are a surprising source of high amounts of protein, but humans are often unwilling to eat them. The reason might be found in ancient DNA samples.
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In The '50s, The US Military Had Scientists Build A Flying Saucer. They Didn't Expect What Happened Next
Most people think flying saucers and UFOs are played out conspiracy theories, but the US built one, it just didn't do what they thought it would.
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This Naturalist's Troubling 21st-Century Predictions About The Earth Should Make You Pause
Humans have done quite a number on the earth, and this famous naturalist predicted that climate change could bring about the end sooner than you might think.
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In The '50s, The US Military Exposed Soldiers To Nuclear Blasts And The Result Was Horrifying
In its quest to better understand the effects of nuclear weaponry, the US military conducted a lot of tests, sometimes on its own soldiers.
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You Should Think Twice Before Refilling Your Plastic Water Bottle
There's no question that bottled water is great for keeping you hydrated on the go, but you might want to avoid reusing that plastic bottle.
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Scientists Say This Useful Skill Could Shave 13 Years Off Your Brain's Age
If you're lucky, you're getting older, but there are ways to slow down how fast your brain ages, and one of them is actually a useful skill to have.
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Scientists Explain The Mystery Behind Why Gen Z Is Aging Faster Than Their Parents
There are a lot of factors that go into how fast we age, and scientists think they have identified many of the factors making Gen Z age faster.
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Scientists Reconstructed A 1.5 Million-Year-Old Face. What They Saw Complicates Evolution.
The intersection of technology and anthropology is helping us answer questions about our origins, but it's also giving us some new ones as well.
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