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The weirdest things we learned this week: Animal prostitution and Pavlovian pee responses
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

The weirdest things we learned this week: Animal prostitution and Pavlovian pee responses

Our editors scrounged up some truly bizarre facts.

Think you can survive on five hours’ sleep? Keep dreaming.
Health

Think you can survive on five hours’ sleep? Keep dreaming.

Here’s what you’ve probably gotten wrong about your nightly snoozes.

This is how a motorcycle shock works
Motorcycles

This is how a motorcycle shock works

The modern high-performance shock is a wonder of linear response and tunability. How did the valve washers get stacked in our favor?

Why these towns are trying to save an ‘agricultural pest’
Animals

Why these towns are trying to save an ‘agricultural pest’

In Colorado’s Front Range, advocates capture and relocate prairie dogs before their burrows are bulldozed.

How to know if your heavy period is a sign of a bleeding disorder
Health

How to know if your heavy period is a sign of a bleeding disorder

Though rare, many women with undiagnosed disorders don't realize they're unusual.

Pleasant scents might help you quit smoking
Health

Pleasant scents might help you quit smoking

Research suggests a good sniff could distract you from cravings.

The world’s biggest plane has 6 engines and a 385-foot wingspan
Aviation

The world’s biggest plane has 6 engines and a 385-foot wingspan

Breaking down the Stratolaunch, by the numbers

Kratom is all the rage, but this natural supplement can be dangerous
Health

Kratom is all the rage, but this natural supplement can be dangerous

Here's everything you need to know.

Dragonglass is real, even if white walkers (hopefully) aren’t
Environment

Dragonglass is real, even if white walkers (hopefully) aren’t

Megapixels: 'Game of Thrones' turns a naturally-occurring glass into a fantastical weapon.

How to link your motorcycle to your smartphone
Motorcycles

How to link your motorcycle to your smartphone

Rever introduces the RLink device to sync with its app.

Why so many racing machines rely on this ‘trouble metal’
Motorcycles

Why so many racing machines rely on this ‘trouble metal’

Magnesium's light weight and ease of casting and machining make it attractive for a variety of applications.

What NASA’s twin study actually taught us about living in space
NASA

What NASA’s twin study actually taught us about living in space

Results show the human body changes, but not dramatically.

Vintage gadgets like computers, keyboards, and a GameBoy sit on a table under pink and blue lights.
Tech Hacks

How to keep your ‘vintage’ tech alive

It may be old, but it's not dead yet.

‘Paint’ shapes in the dark with long-exposure photography
Projects

‘Paint’ shapes in the dark with long-exposure photography

It's not magic, but you'll feel like a wizard.

Watch ‘giant pill bugs’ burrow inside this alligator carcass for legitimate scientific reasons
Ocean

Watch ‘giant pill bugs’ burrow inside this alligator carcass for legitimate scientific reasons

The first recorded "reptile fall" is a real feast.

hamburger
Health

Ground beef is behind the latest E. coli outbreak

109 people in six states have fallen ill so far.

The Israeli moon crash reminds us that lunar landings are a pain in the butt
Moons

The Israeli moon crash reminds us that lunar landings are a pain in the butt

The robot's failed mission shouldn't come as a shock.

How Google is building the fastest internet cable to cross the Atlantic
Internet

How Google is building the fastest internet cable to cross the Atlantic

It involves armadillos.

This ancient sea creature had 45 tubular tentacles and will haunt your dreams
Evolution

This ancient sea creature had 45 tubular tentacles and will haunt your dreams

The Paleozoic-era fossil gives off a certain Cthulhu vibe.

Soccer player injured after getting too many concussions
Health

Think you have a concussion? The FDA says there’s not an app for that.

No one test can diagnose the brain injury.