Why Some Like it Hot: The Science of Spiciness

Capsaicin is what makes chilli peppers taste hot. Picture source: Torres Ivan on Pxhere Roberto Silvestro, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC) Spiciness, or its perception, occurs in most cuisines worldwide. The chilli pepper of the genus Capsicum (family Solanaceae) is one of the world’s most widely used spices, found in thousands of recipes and […]



Zombie Worlds: Five Spooky Planets Obiting Dead Stars

PIA. NASA/JPL Gareth Dorrian, University of Birmingham All stars, including the Sun, have a finite lifetime. Stars shine by the process of nuclear fusion in which lighter atoms, such as hydrogen, fuse together to create heavier ones. This process releases vast quantities of energy which counteracts the ever-present inward pull of the star’s gravity. Ultimately, […]



Could one Vaccine Protect Against Everything? [Science Video]

There’s a vaccine being developed now that would protect you against every strain of the flu— even ones that don’t exist yet. But influenza is constantly mutating, so is a universal vaccine even possible? And how do you design a vaccine that will be effective against future strains? Explore how scientists are developing new ways […]

Medical Doctor Answers Hormone Questions From The Internet [Video]

Dr. Amy Shah answers the internet’s burning questions about those oh so elusive signaling molecules we like to call “hormones.” Can you remove all of your hormones? What does low testosterone even feel like or look like? Why does adrenaline affect memory? How does cortisol affect body fat? Dr. Shah answers all these questions and […]