Do Snakes Have Legs? The Hidden Limbs That Evolution Left Behind
Ask whether snakes have legs and the obvious answer seems to be no. A cobra, viper or grass snake has no arms, no feet and no...
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Why Do Cats Hate Water? The Real Reasons Many Cats Avoid Getting Wet
Put a glass of water near a cat and it may drink calmly. Turn on a faucet and the same cat might become fascinated, batting a...
How Cold Is Space? Why the Famous −270°C Answer Is Only Part of the Story
Space is famously cold. The number repeated in textbooks, documentaries and trivia lists is about 2.7 kelvin, or roughly −270.4 °C — less than three degrees above absolut...
What Color Is the Sun? Why It’s Really White, Not Yellow
Ask a child to draw the Sun and there is a good chance they will reach for a yellow crayon. Search for a Sun emoji and you will find the same convention. For centuries, a...
Is the Moon Hollow? The Apollo Experiment Behind the ‘Ringing Like a Bell’ Myth
On November 20, 1969, Apollo 12 astronauts Pete Conrad and Alan Bean left the lunar surface and rejoined Richard Gordon in orbit. Their lunar module's ascent stage was no...
How Many Stars Are in the Milky Way? Why Astronomers Still Can’t Give an Exact Number
Look up from a truly dark place and the Milky Way appears as a pale river of light crossing the sky. That glow is produced by stars so numerous and distant that most cann...