Worries About Unusual Botulinum Toxin Prove Unfounded
A previously unknown form of botulinum toxin thought to be resistant to standard treatment raised public health concerns. Subsequent research has allayed those fears.
Science
Why Some Scientific Collaborations Are More Beneficial Than Others
It turns out that when scientists collaborate internationally, they are more like to have an impact on science than purely domestic collaborations.
Methane Bursts On Mars Could Hint At Previous Life
Scientists have seen mysterious bursts of methane in the Martian atmosphere, and they can't rule out the possibility that the methane was made by something that was once alive on Mars.
How Peppermint Tricks Us Into Feeling (Deliciously) Cold
We have the chemical menthol to thank for the wonderful mouth-feel of peppermint. Scientists now know that menthol fools the brain by activating receptors involved with sensing cold.
7 Miles Beneath The Sea's Surface: Who Goes There?
Marine scientists plumbing the deepest part of the ocean sent microphones and collection probes baited with chicken to the bottom of a trench near Guam. Now they watch, wait ... and listen.
Playlist: Science!
From monkeys to microbes, TED speakers in this playlist cover all different realms of the scientific world.
What The Change In U.S.-Cuba Relations Might Mean For Food
The decision to normalize relations is driving all kinds of speculation about American food companies opening up shop in Cuba. But analysts say: Don't expect to see McDonald's there anytime soon.
Once Written Off, Kepler Telescope Finds New Planet
The Kepler space telescope, which cost some $600 million, was feared to be at the end of its useful life in 2013. But NASA says it just found another exoplanet.
Earliest Human Engraving Or Trash From An Ancient Lunch?
Carved zigzag marks on a shell found more than a century ago have drawn new interest from archaeologists. The half-million-year-old lines aren't from an animal, and might be art from Homo erectus.
Behind The Scenes At The Lab That Fingerprints Microbiomes
Inside the lab, a lone technician sorts through new samples, snipping off swab heads intentionally fouled with fecal material. One head goes to cold storage and the other is processed for sequencing.