Latest articles by Joanna Thompson
Rare red asteroids around Neptune could reveal the secrets of the early solar system
Scientists have observed that some of Neptune's Trojan asteroids are deep red, possibly revealing what asteroids may have been like in the early days of the solar system.
How do you decontaminate objects exposed to radioactivity?
Can a person or object exposed to high radioactivity just take a shower with soap and water, or is more needed for decontamination?
Why is it so hard to walk on sand?
Sand is difficult to walk or run across. But why?
Ancient platypus-like fossil could rewrite the history of egg-laying mammals
Fossils of a 70 million-year-old platypus relative called Patagorhynchus pascuali found in South America show that egg-laying mammals evolved on more than one continent.
'Zombie' viruses have been revived from Siberian permafrost. Could they infect people?
Researchers have isolated viable microbes from melting permafrost after tens of thousands of years. But don't worry; they infect only amoebas.
What's the smallest known asteroid? What about the largest?
Not all asteroids are planet-killers — most are tiny and others are huge. So what are the largest and smallest asteroids in the solar system?
Sea dragon dad glues his brood to his tail for safekeeping, stunning image shows
Sea dragon dads and octopus moms are the extreme marine parents we need, winning photos show.
Which came first: The chicken or the egg?
Most biologists will answer confidently when asked "which came first, the chicken or the egg?" but the answer may depend on what type of egg you're talking about.
What is brain fog?
Mental fuzziness can be frustrating and can be caused by lack of sleep or even an underlying illness.
What is a runner's high?
Here's what the strange euphoria that sets in after aerobic exercise really is.
'Mars' interior is not behaving,' active mantle plume reveals
In a first, planetary geologists describe an active mantle plume on the surface of Mars.
Scientists finally discovered the snake clitoris, and they're 'very excited'
For the first time, clitorises have been documented in nine different species of snakes from four families.
How much does a cloud weigh?
Clouds look light and fluffy, but they're surprisingly heavy.
Ravenous meat-eating dinosaur's guts preserved in exceptionally rare fossil
Paleontologists in China have examined the remarkable gut remnants of a birdlike dinosaur that lived more than 100 million years ago.
Long-lost bird species, thought to be extinct, captured in images for 1st time in 140 years
Images and footage of the black-naped pheasant-pigeon were recently captured by scientists. This is the first documented sighting of the elusive bird since 1882.
Scientists solved a 500 million-year-old mystery about strange Cambrian structures found in China
Extremely detailed Cambrian fossils show that enigmatic skeleton tubes belonged to ancient ancestors of modern jellyfish.
The Devils Hole pupfish is so inbred that it shouldn’t be alive
New research reveals exactly how inbred the Devils Hole pupfish is.
Missing woman’s body discovered in the stomach of 22-foot-long python in Indonesia
A 54-year-old woman in Indonesia was killed and eaten by a massive python
What if humans had tails?
If humans had tails, what would they be like, and how would we use them?
Where did the idea of the 'wicked stepmother' come from?
Many fairytales have an evil stepmother who is determined to ruin the lives of her stepchildren. But what are the roots of this age-old trope?
