science

Topics and developments in science and medicine, presented by Futurism.

New Human
Genetic manipulation is always an interesting topic. From synthesizing chromosomes and basic organisms to creating chimera and plain not-so-old fashioned gene therapy, biomolecular science has made significant strides. Many TV shows, movies, and books depict life after advanced genetic manipulation and, for the most part, it’s bad news. With each new progression in this particular scientific arena, the topic of genetic manipulation rises in the media and in our minds. Or mine, at least. And Dave’s. Isn’t that right, Dave? Of course it is.
By RJ Plant8 years ago in Futurism
Meet the Sea Scorpion
Deep beneath the Devonian ocean lurked the largest arthropod to have ever lived: the eurypterid. Sporting a javelin lancet serrated with venom teeth tipping a heavily armored tail, the enormous sea scorpion did not live in fear. The rise of the eurypterid heralded the first true great predator of our planet. The colossal beast reigned over the waters of the world long before the first foot fell upon land, enduring for great ages uncontested by any organism dominant and supreme. Surely in a world aeons from mammalian ancestors, overrun with fishes tenderly armored with leather bodies did no creature contest the capital horror present.
By Eliander Black8 years ago in Futurism
What Exactly is the Point of HSAM Research?
In the year 2000, a woman named Jill Price approached Dr. James McGaugh at the University of California, Irvine. She expressed that she had an unusual memory in which she would involuntarily relive her past all the time, and had great difficulty with letting go of her recollections. Dr. McGaugh was very interested in what Price was saying and was willing to gather a team of researchers to study her memory.
By Rebecca Sharrock8 years ago in Futurism
What Are These Weird Radio Signals From a Nearby Red Dwarf Star?
Astronomers are continuing to monitor a nearby red dwarf star after detecting unusual radio signals apparently coming from the star. It is hoped that additional observations will help to determine the source of the signals, which so far haven't been explained.
By Paul Scott Anderson8 years ago in Futurism
I Am Not Smart Enough to Enter Mensa, But I Can Prove They Are Stupid
First, I have to define some terms, to be able to prove my point. I need to explain stupid, Mensa (and how to enter), IQ, and what IQ tests ignore.
By Ana-Maria Lazar9 years ago in Futurism
Smart Plants
The Audacious Carnivorous Pitcher Plant Once upon a time, A cruel Nature defies the Cephalotus follicularis with a plague of deadly pathogens and locust. The plants save themselves through the creation of an innate immune system made of ancient protein powerful enough to repel disease and their mortal winged enemy.
By Alex C-B9 years ago in Futurism
The White Hole—The Black Hole's Opposite
Humanity has always desired to learn more about its surroundings and tried to satisfy its curiosity. Particularly in the modern and ever-evolving age of ingenuity, human beings are constantly striving to unlock the secrets of the cosmos. But for the most part, our probing the unknown only unlocks more questions. We discover something, yet we know next to nothing about its origin or function. It's like a teaser trailer to a movie, except we never know the date when it will be released to theaters when all our questions will be answered.
By John Tuttle9 years ago in Futurism
Medical Paternalism And Me
Mount Vernon, Virginia December 12th, 1799 Cold air proclaims winter's arrival at George Washington's Mount Vernon estate. The President returns home drenched in the late afternoon, his hair covered in snow after having supervised farming activities since morning.
By Alex C-B9 years ago in Futurism
Scientific Inaccuracies in 'Star Wars'
A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, the Star Wars franchise was born. The popular movies have been a hit since their creation in 1977. The series is widely known as the epitome of the science fiction genre, with a massive worldwide fanbase. As you can imagine, people love to theorize about whether or not the events in the Star Wars films can actually occur. Could there be alien species on other planets or powers people can control with their minds? How about spaceships that can travel within a galaxy at hyper-speed? So much is still unknown about outer space beyond the Milky Way, but there are some events in the Star Wars universe that just couldn't happen in real life. Here are just a few of the scientific inaccuracies in the Star Wars films.
By Madeline Basirico9 years ago in Futurism
What Does Being Unable To Forget Feel Like?. Top Story - July 2017.
Whenever people hear that I’m unable to forget any day of my life, I often receive questions as to how it feels to live with all of those memories, and about whether or not my mind rests at all.
By Rebecca Sharrock9 years ago in Futurism
New Paper Depicts NASA's Plan For A Lunar Station
The race to colonize our solar system and beyond is in full swing. There’s already an agreement between China and the European Space Agency (ESA) to set up a moon station. Intended to team up with private companies, the big agencies obviously have a clear vision for lunar exploration.
By pionic9 years ago in Futurism
Winter Is Here, but Why?
Winter is coming! For last six years, we celebrated summer (in the northern hemisphere at least) with the promise of inevitable winter and this year finally winter is here. The Game of Thrones TV show is going to come back in just a few days for its 7th season and this time the Great War in the middle of winter is ahead of us.
By Pouria Nazemi9 years ago in Futurism