News
The beating heart of Halloween? Folklore
Halloween season is here, and people of all ages often enjoy dressing up and eating candy. Some may engage in spooky activities like visiting graveyards. Many of these traditions are inspired by…
How Our Presidential Elections Have Changed
Voter distrust, media consumption, disinformation growing everywhere — these have had a drastic impact on our elections. In this episode, we talk with two experts about how as our society changes…
10 of the coolest pieces in Orton museum’s collection
This year, Orton Geological Museum celebrates 150 years of firsts and rocks, minerals and fossils that make both the curious and scientifically minded go “ooh!” Museum Director and Professor Loren…
Identifying the genes that viruses ‘steal’ from ocean microbes
The microbes that cycle nutrients in the ocean don’t do the work on their own – the viruses that infect them also influence the process. It’s a vital job for the rest of the planet, enabling…
Declines in plant resilience threaten carbon storage in the Arctic
Rapid warming has impacted the northern ecosystem so significantly that scientists are concerned the region’s vegetation is losing the ability to recover from climate shocks, suggests a…
Why people think they’re right, even when they are wrong
If you smugly believe you’re right in a disagreement with a friend or colleague, a new study suggests why you may actually be wrong.
Researchers found that people naturally assume they have…
Researchers link El Niño to accelerated ice loss in tropics
Natural climate patterns such as El Niño are causing tropical glaciers to lose their ice at an alarming rate, a new study has found.
A phenomenon that typically…
Bias found when drug manufacturers fund clinical trials
Psychiatric drugs are reported to be about 50% more effective in clinical trials funded by the drug’s manufacturer than when trials of the same drug are sponsored by other groups, new research…
Scientists develop novel method for strengthening PVC products
Researchers have developed a way to make one type of plastic material more durable and less likely to shed dangerous microplastics.
The study identified a secure way to…