When my parents informed me that my blood type was A+, I felt a strange sense of pride. If A+ was the top grade in school, then surely A+ was also the most excellent of blood types – a biological mark of distinction. It didn't take long for me to recognise…

If your internet rabbit holes have ever taken you to the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle 'death trap', you've probably come across one explanation where methane bubbles create a bizarre sinkhole situation in the middle of the ocean. It sounds cool, but as…

Physicists have come up with what they claim is a mathematical model of a theoretical "time machine" - a box that can move backwards and forwards through time and space. The trick, they say, is to use the curvature of space-time in the Universe to bend time…

Scientists have found more new evidence that Parkinson's could start in the gut before spreading to the brain, observing lower rates of the disease in patients who had undergone a procedure called a truncal vagotomy. The operation removes sections of the…

There's a reason the name 'Einstein' is synonymous with 'genius'. Albert Einstein was one of the greatest minds of the 20th century, and his contributions to human knowledge are unparalleled. The physicist conducted groundbreaking research on how our Universe…

Nearly 2,000 years ago, the first human-documented supernova was observed by ancient Chinese astronomers, who witnessed a bright "guest star" lighting up the night sky in 185 AD. A couple of millennia later, scientists have proposed various explanations for…

Crystals are among the most fascinating structures in the natural world - not only do they have a unique, highly ordered, and repeating lattice structure, they also have all kinds of inherent, interesting properties, including the ability to self-assemble.…

Don't let the fact that the objects known as Prince Rupert's drops are made out of glass fool you – the pretty, tear-drop shaped baubles can withstand some pretty harsh punishment. Until you gently snap their tail, at least. New research has literally shed…

For the first time ever, scientists have precisely tracked down the spread of one patient's cancer, learning surprising new details about how some tumours quickly become deadly. The worst news with a cancer diagnosis often come when doctors discover the tumour…

Upcoming missions to Mars have grabbed plenty of headlines in recent years, but before we set off for the Red Planet, a lot more research is needed – and that's why NASA has a new plan for sending astronauts into orbit around the Moon. It's been a while –…

Almost 50 years after lithium was first approved to treat patients in the US, scientists think they've finally identified the molecular mechanism behind its effectiveness in treating the symptoms of bipolar disorder. This is a huge deal. One of the biggest…

For the first time, scientists have detected evidence of a magnetic field that's associated with the vast intergalactic 'bridge' that links our two nearest galactic neighbours. Known as the Magellanic Bridge, the bridge is a huge stream of neutral gas that…

Researchers have come up with yet another candidate for a male contraceptive - this time in the form of a chemical found in certain traditional arthritis remedies. The team identified molecules that stop sperm from reaching the necessary speed to charge into…

Brain surgery is precision business, and one slip can spell doom for affected patients. Even in one of the most skilled jobs in the world, human error can still be a factor. Researchers from the University of Utah are looking to provide less opportunity for…

Despite the NSA confirming the existence of Skynet, we all should be grateful that technology has not yet advanced to the stage where a liquid metal T-1000 terminator can shape-shift its way into your home and demand to see John Connor. But scientists in…

Imagine a jet engine that could propel an aircraft faster than a traditional engine, taking us all the way to the edge of the atmosphere, all without burning fossil fuels - and for a low cost. That's exactly what plasma jet engines should be able to do, although…

Mouse sperm that spent more than nine months in orbit have been used to produce a litter of healthy mice, giving hope that mammalian reproduction in space colonies could one day be possible. While humanity is already pretty obsessed with the idea of getting…

In classical computing, information is stored in bits that are read by physical phenomena such as electricity. You might recognise them as 1s and 0s, also called binary code. In quantum computing, it's stored in quantum bits, or 'qubits'. However, computers…

Perhaps one of the most intriguing and interesting phenomena in quantum physics is what Einstein referred to as a "spooky action at a distance" - also known as quantum entanglement. This quantum effect is behind what makes quantum computers work, as quantum…