Most discussions of genetics tend to focus on DNA -- as have most studies of the human genome. However, some scientists are suggesting that RNA may play a much larger role than previously suspected in the expression of genes ( Read more... )

There's a gap in our electronics between instruments for producing light and instruments for producing radio waves. These "terahertz waves" are difficult to produce and have some puzzling qualities -- but hold the promise of being able to do what no previous equipment can accomplish.

It seems that a lot of networking hardware built by Citrix is particularly vulnerable to hacking -- and it's been massively exploited ( Read more... )

A spacecraft built by startup Varda Space Industries has been in space for two extra months beyond its original mission plan. It seems that the owners didn't get the proper FAA clearances before sending it up, and as a result can't retrieve their pharmaceutical package, apparently a proof-of-concept for manufacturing pharmaceuticals in space.

Henon bamboo has an unusually long flowering period - over a century - and has shown a curious pattern of disappearing from an area for some time after flowering before it reappears. Now scientists may be able to analyze some early-flowering stands of Henon bamboo and discover its secret.

People who feel overwhelmed often make five critical mistakes -- and a lot of them show the "tunneling" effect of scarcity on the mind. For instance, you really need to take stock of what's going on, figure out what your deliverables and receivables are, but you're feeling so rushed that you can't possibly take the time, even when you're incurring ( Read more... )

The fascinating history of Mad Magazine -- including how it changed from a comic book to a magazine to escape the 1950's moral panic about comics, particularly the horror comics that were very popular at the time.

It seems that the old Greek mnemonic system of the "memory palace" actually has some basis in neurology. As we're learning more and more about the brain, we discover that the same regions are active in remembering abstract concepts that are normally used for spatial relationships.

Scientists have created a super-heavy form of oxygen in the laboratory -- and were surprised when it proved to have the opposite property of what they were expected. Instead of being super-stable as a result of having so many neutrons, it disintegrated almost immediately ( Read more... )

A thought piece on the rationale for exploring space.