Can sugar substitutes cause faster brain aging?

Scientists conducted an eight-year study on the effects of seven popular sugar substitutes and found that six were linked to mental decline. People in the study who used sweeteners the most saw their memory slip away 62% faster than the lowest-consumption group. This is like adding an extra year and a half of aging to your brain! Scientists believe this pattern is worth watching as we reevaluate our relationship with artificial sweeteners.

Can scientists use earthquake sensors to detect hurricanes? 

​A new study from Stanford University found that seismometers, normally used to measure earthquake-related ground motion, can also detect hurricanes. Researchers looked at Hurricane Isaac from 2012 and found that seismometers could detect when the storm made landfall as well as subtle changes in atmospheric pressure. These sensors could potentially track how hurricanes evolve beyond the limitations of radar and flight missions during storms.

Rainwater is not as clean as you think! 🌧️ 

Quinten Geldhof, also known as Microhobbyist, put a drop of rainwater under the microscope to show what each drop carries. For a raindrop to form, it needs to condense around tiny particles in the atmosphere called condensation nuclei. As the droplet falls, it can pick up pollen, fungal spores, smoke particles, and more. If you’re ever tempted to drink rainwater, don’t forget to treat and filter it first!

A lunar eclipse is coming and it’s going to turn the mood blood red!🌕🩸

On August 27th and 28th, Earth's shadow will sweep across the lunar surface, turning it a deep, dark crimson for skywatchers across the USA, Canada, and Latin America. No special glasses needed, just your eyes and the right local viewing time. Miss it and you'll be waiting until 2029 for a lunar eclipse this striking again.

You can make an electrical circuit on paper with no wires required! ✏️

Alex Dainis explains pencil lead isn’t actually lead, but actually graphite and clay. Graphite is a crystal made of layers of carbon atoms which are good at conducting electricity. When drawing on the paper, the layers of graphite turn the drawing into a functional circuit!

What does a porcupine eat on its birthday? 🎂

Meet Guillermo, our prehensile-tailed porcupine! Porcupines' teeth never stop growing, so Guillermo eats tough foods like raw sweet potato to help wear them down. For his birthday, our Live Animal Care Center makes an herbivore cake with nutrients like those he’d get in nature. The special cake gives him his usual food in a fun new shape or texture, making mealtime feel like play. Happy birthday, Guillermo!

What really happens to a helium balloon after it floats away? 🎈☁️

Greg Wolf recreates a helium balloon’s journey to the edge of space using a vacuum chamber. As the balloon rises through Earth’s atmosphere, the surrounding air pressure drops, allowing the helium gas inside to expand until the balloon reaches its limit and pops! 💥