Kathy Houston
Stories (10/0)
Interstellar Discoveries: Journeying Through the Uncommon Objects of Our Solar System
In 1979, astronomer Fred Hoyle joked that outer space is just an hour's drive away if you could go straight up. Technically, that's true, but the rest of space is really far away. It would take that same car 400 billion hours to reach the next star. So, scientists don't get to study interstellar objects up close often. But every now and then, something from beyond our solar system visits us. Maybe, just maybe, one of these visitors will decide to stick around.
By Kathy Houston6 days ago in Futurism
Are the Rocky Mountains in the Wrong Place?
Mountain ranges typically form where tectonic plates collide. This movement causes rock to be pushed up, creating the mountains along the boundary. However, the Rocky Mountains in North America are in the middle of the continent, far from any plate boundary. This has sparked a debate among geologists about why they are where they are. Let's explore what we know and what still remains a mystery about the formation of this iconic mountain range.
By Kathy Houston8 days ago in Earth
The Quiet Mind: Why Some People Lack an Inner Monologue
It's no surprise that writers often give superheroes and magical beings the power of telepathy. Just think about all the insights you could gain if you could hear someone's thoughts! But not everyone has that inner monologue or inner speech. And even those who do, don't always talk in their heads all the time. Inner speech could teach us a lot about brain development and speech patterns, but research in this area is just beginning.
By Kathy Houston13 days ago in Psyche
Would Humanity Endure a Dinosaur-Extinction Event Today?
66 million years ago, something really bad happened to life on Earth. It was the worst day ever. A killer asteroid came from the south, moving at an incredibly fast speed. When it hit Earth, it had more power than 10 billion atomic bombs. For over 20 minutes, the planet experienced extreme heat and molten debris rained down, causing global wildfires. The impact also led to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The final blow came as dust clouds blocked out the sun for up to 15 years. 75% of all species went extinct, but some managed to survive.
By Kathy Houston14 days ago in Futurism
The Kepler Effect: A Cascade of Planetary Discoveries
On February 26th, 2014, the Kepler science team shared some exciting news - they found 715 new planets outside of our solar system! This discovery nearly doubled the total number of confirmed alien planets. But how did they find so many at once? Since the Kepler Telescope was launched in 2009, we've been finding new planets slowly. So where did these 715 new planets come from and are they really out there, or are they just educated guesses?
By Kathy Houston15 days ago in Futurism
Transforming Healthcare: The Role of Retinal Scanning Technology
In the movie Never Say Never Again, the bad guy gets surgery to match his retina to the US presidents in order to trick a retinal scanner and access nuclear weapons. James Bond saves the day in his usual dashing manner. In real life, we have retinal scanners, but they aren't great spy gadgets. Instead, this technology is now used by eye doctors to improve your health. Let's explore how it can benefit you in the long run.
By Kathy Houston15 days ago in Futurism
CRISPR Gene Therapy Is Here
Have you heard this science story before? Scientists used CRISPR to modify gene X in mice to do thing Y, with hopes for a treatment for disease Z. It usually takes at least ten years for a new innovation to go from theory to clinical practice. CRISPR is now over ten years old and has made its way into the hands of doctors, specifically for treating blood disorders. It's actually helping real people. It's a small number for now, but it's a good start. Let's see how researchers turned a powerful tool into medicine.
By Kathy Houston17 days ago in Futurism
The Last Living Thing on Earth
Life on Earth is not going to last forever. The Sun will eventually die in about 5 billion years, wiping out everything here. But before that happens, life will probably be gone. In the past, things like volcanoes, asteroids, and extreme climate change have almost wiped out all life. And there could be even worse things coming, like a nearby supernova or nuclear war. That wouldn't be great for life on Earth. So, what would be the last living thing? Scientists have thought about this a lot, and despite what some may think, it definitely won't be cockroaches.
By Kathy Houston19 days ago in Earth
The Paradox of Chernobyl's Radioactive Wild Boar
After the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded in 1986, scientists started studying the area to learn about radiation's effects on the ecosystem. Radiation isn't good for health, so it's good news that contamination levels in nearby animals have been decreasing over the years. However, wild boars in Chernobyl have maintained the same levels of radioactive isotopes in their bodies for years, which goes against what we know about radioactive decay and ecosystems. Scientists called it the Wild Boar Paradox. This year, they may have finally solved the mystery.
By Kathy Houston20 days ago in Earth