Surprising Science — April 10, 2014

Meet the Friendliest “Neighborhoods” Beyond Earth

As Stephen Hawking warned, we better move from Earth or face extinction. Where should we go shopping? Hank Green, the host of the SciShow, acts as our real-estate agent of the cosmos as he helps us tour the friendliest “neighborhoods” beyond Earth. Renovations required. So bring your 3D house printer!

The Present

Deepfake audio has a tell

Researchers use fluid dynamics to spot artificial imposter voices.

Hard Science

China has discovered a brand new Moon mineral

It could one day fuel nuclear fusion reactors.

High Culture

7 great but notoriously hard-to-finish books

These hard-to-finish books are still worth the effort.

Life

Pando, the world’s largest organism, has stopped growing

Pando is a stand of aspen in Utah that is 14,000 years old and weighs 12 million pounds. Humans threaten to end its long reign.

The Past

1,000-year-old stalagmites in Indian cave reveal a history of long, deadly droughts

The monsoon rains were not always so reliable.

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