George Dvorsky

New Trailer For The Last Man On The Moon Is Absolutely Riveting

Back in December 1972, Apollo 17 astronaut “Gene” Cernan returned to the lunar module after nearly two and half days of surface operations. No one has returned since, designating him the “last man on the moon.” A new documentary now tells the story of this remarkable “final” journey. The 99-minute, Mark Craig-directed documentary was produced…

Smoking E-Cigarettes Is A Surprisingly Effective Way To Quit

New research shows that smokers who are trying to quit are 60% more likely to succeed if they switch to e-cigarettes compared to those who use willpower alone or try nicotine replacement therapies, such as patches or gum. The results, which are set to appear in the science journal Addiction, were based on a survey…

No, Your Urine Is Not Sterile

There’s a widely held belief that urine, except in cases of kidney or urinary tract infections, is sterile. It’s a myth that won’t go away — but a recent study linking bacteria to the bladders of healthy women should finally put this tired notion to rest. This finding was recently presented by researchers from Loyola…

Breakthrough: Synthetic Meat Made From Stem Cells

Last year, scientists created the world’s first lab-grown burger — and by all accounts it didn’t taste half bad. Sadly, the cost of a single patty ran upwards of $385,000. Now, European researchers have developed a small-scale manufacturing technique for synthetic meat that could eventually prove revolutionary. The global demand for meat is steadily increasing.…

How Predictable Is Evolution?

Evolutionary biologists like to say that mutations are random but that selection is not; species are crafted by their environments. But if this is the case, why is it so hard to predict evolution? A recent genetic analysis of stick insects provides an important clue. At the heart of this issue a phenomenon known as…

New Double Helix Visualization Revises What We Know About DNA

By using an advanced microscopy technique, researchers have collected the most precise measurements to date of DNA’s tangled structure. Their results showed significant variations to the well-known double helix — variations that are offering fresh insights into the inner workings of this life-bearing molecule. This was a collaborative project by researchers from the National Physical…

Unseen Footage Shows President Franklin Roosevelt Walking In 1937

Pennsylvania State Archives has released never before seen footage of Franklin Delano Roosevelt walking up a ramp at a baseball game in 1937. It’s an exceptionally rare glimpse of the U.S. president who did his best to hide his disability from the public. The footage was captured by Jimmie DeShong at the 1937 MLB All-Star…

Russian Rocket Carrying Hi-Tech Satellite Crashes Minutes After Launch

A Russian Proton-M rocket carrying the country’s most advanced satellite to date, the Express-AM4R, crashed near Kazakhstan about nine minutes after lift-off. The reason for the catastrophic malfunction is still not known. An early theory is that the rocket experienced a failure in one of the third stage’s steering engines. “The exact cause is hard…

These Are The Surprising Jobs You’ll Be Doing By The 2030s

As our technological and sociological realities change, so too do our jobs. But just what, exactly, will we be doing 15 years from now? Here are some completely unexpected jobs you’ve almost certainly never heard of—but likely will soon. Indeed, the landscape of careers is changing. But knowing which vocations are around the corner is…

​America, Why Is Your National Anthem So Goddamn Hard To Sing?

As virtually every American citizen knows all too well, belting out the National Anthem can be a rather precarious proposition. Here’s what the experts have to say about “The Star Spangled Banner” and why it’s such a challenging piece, even for professionals. Over at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History Blog, program producer M.K.…

Smart Drugs Could Be Impairing The Brains Of Young People

It’s estimated that over a million students in the U.S. misuse prescription drugs and stimulants to boost their attention span, memory, and alertness. But a new study suggests some of these drugs are detrimental to developing brains, causing long-term impairments to cognitive function. As noted in the new study by Kimberly Urban and Wen-Jun Gao,…

“Surprising” Breakthrough in Multiple Sclerosis Mouse Study

In a recent experiment, mice with MS-like symptoms were able to walk and run again just two weeks after being injected with human neural stem cells. Even the researchers were unprepared for these incredible results. Though we’re still far from a cure, it’s a remarkable finding that hints at similar therapies for humans. Multiple sclerosis…

Venture Capital Firm Appoints Machine Intelligence As Board Member

Hong Kong based venture capital firm Deep Knowledge Ventures (DKV) has appointed a machine learning program to its board. Called VITAL, it’s an “equal member” that will uncover trends “not immediately obvious to humans” in order to make investment recommendations. This is probably an attempt to attract media attention, but it could truly be the…

The magnet in GE’s new MRI machine is 140,000 times stronger than the Earth’s magnetic field. Called 7 Tesla, it’s five times stronger than conventional MRIs and nearly as powerful as magnets found particle accelerators. The souped-up MRI will be used to investigate diseases and disorders in unprecedented detail. Image: GE.

A Giant Planet That’s Freakishly Far From Its Sun

Canadian astronomers have discovered a gigantic planet-like object that’s so far from its parent star that it takes 80,000 years to complete a single orbit — a distance that’s 50 times farther than Pluto is from our sun. The discovery may force a re-think into how and where planets are capable of forming. Called GU…

This Chemical Transforms Lab Animals Into Transparent Works Of Art

A group of grad students have invented a chemical formula called Visikol that makes animal tissue transparent. The technology has been available to research labs for over a year, but the researchers are now hoping to see it used to create works of art and as an educational tool. Above: Whole body anole. To that…

Lucid Dreaming Can Be Induced By Zapping Brains With Gamma Waves

By administering mild electric currents to the brain, neuroscientists from Frankfurt University have successfully induced self-awareness in sleeping volunteers. Amazingly, the technique could be used to help people take better control of their dreams. But it’s also a discovery that’s offering critical insights into the very nature of consciousness itself. Gamma waves have been linked…

The Ultimate Proof That Keeping Orca Whales In Captivity Is Monstrous

The oldest known orca whale was spotted this past weekend off the coast of British Columbia. Named “Granny,” the grand matriarch is estimated to be 103 years-old. So given the extreme lifespan of these creatures, why do we still insist on locking them up in veritable goldfish bowls? Formally known as J2, the orca was…

Deep Sea Probe Accidentally Uncovers Unique ‘Graveyard’ Ecology

The unexpected discovery of four unique deep sea fish-falls off the coast of Angola has revealed a feeding ecosystem considerably different than those typically associated with large animal carcasses. Without sunlight, most creatures in the deep ocean are dependant on detritus from the surface as their primary source of food, such as dead plankton and…

NASA’s Next Mars Rover Will Send Samples Back To Earth. Uh, Really?

Planetary geologists are gathering this week to start planning for the next robotic mission to Mars. It’s supposed to be identical to Curiosity, but it’ll be joined by a launch vehicle capable of sending samples back to Earth. But given what we now know about Mars, is this really necessary? NASA hopes to have the…