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Why do your knuckles pop?

Adults Biology
Some people love the feeling of cracking their knuckles, while others cringe at the sound. But what causes that trademark pop? And is it dangerous? Eleanor Nelsen gives the facts behind joint popping.

Superbugs: The Empire Strikes Bacteria

Adults Biology
Are we entering the post-antibiotic era? Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are on the rise, with millions of infections reported every year and thousands of deaths. How does antibiotic resistance work? How did we get here? And what can we do in the future to make sure that papercuts don't spell a death sentence?

Does Being Cold Make You Sick?

Adults Biology
Can being cold give you a cold?

How Many Heartbeats Do We Get?

Adults Biology
Ever wonder how the heart symbol came to stand for the actual heart? And why do we speak of the heart as the seat of love, when love really happens in our brains? Is it true that animals only get a billion heartbeats? This week, we give you enough cool cardiac science to make your heart skip a beat.

The science of stage fright (and how to overcome it)

Adults Biology
Heart racing, palms sweating, labored breathing? No, you're not having a heart attack -- it's stage fright! If speaking in public makes you feel like you're fighting for your life, you're not alone. But the better you understand your body's reaction, the more likely you are to overcome it. Mikael Cho advises how to trick your brain and steal the show.

How Many Smells Can You Smell?

Adults Biology
How do we smell?

How a wound heals itself

Adults Biology
Our skin is the largest organ in our bodies, with a surface area of about 20 square feet in adults. When we are cut or wounded, our skin begins to repair itself through a complex, well-coordinated process. Sarthak Sinha takes us past the epidermis and into the dermis to investigate this regenerative response.

What are those floaty things in your eye?

Adults Biology
Sometimes, against a uniform, bright background such as a clear sky or a blank computer screen, you might see things floating across your field of vision. What are these moving objects, and how are you seeing them? Michael Mauser explains the visual phenomenon that is floaters.

Why Your Brain Is In Your Head

Adults Biology
Have you ever wondered why the brain is located where it is?

Early Birds vs Night Owls

Adults Biology
Are night owls really lagging behind in life?

Life by the Numbers

Adults Biology
There are now more than 7 billion human beings on Earth, and that got me wondering: How successful are we compared to other species? I take a look at out how our numbers stack up to some other domains of life. It turns out that biomass, or what things weigh, can be more important than how many of something there are. Find out how our numbers stack up against everything from bugs to bacteria, and get ready for some mind-blowing numbers!

Can You Erase Bad Memories?

Adults Biology
What if you could delete specific memories?

Why do we cry? The three types of tears

Adults Biology
Whether we cry during a sad movie, while chopping onions, or completely involuntarily, our eyes are constantly producing tears. Alex Gendler tracks a particularly watery day in the life of Iris (the iris) as she cycles through basal, reflex and emotional tears.

How sugar affects the brain

Adults Biology
When you eat something loaded with sugar, your taste buds, your gut and your brain all take notice. This activation of your reward system is not unlike how bodies process addictive substances such as alcohol or nicotine -- an overload of sugar spikes dopamine levels and leaves you craving more. Nicole Avena explains why sweets and treats should be enjoyed in moderation.

The Invisible Universe Of The Human Microbiome

Adults Biology
The next time you look in a mirror, think about this: In many ways you're more microbe than human. There are 10 times more cells from microorganisms like bacteria and fungi in and on our bodies than there are human cells. But these tiny compatriots are invisible to the naked eye. So we asked artist Ben Arthur to give us a guided tour of the rich universe of the human microbiome.

Weird Facts About How You See

Adults Biology
You're doing it right now. It's time to learn something about it.

How Old Are Your Ears?

Adults Biology
How high can you hear? Take this 'test' to see how old your ears are!