How can we better deal with waste in space? Should we rise up against the panopticonic Elf on the Shelf? Plus: Is the internet actually an effective way to contact our elected officials?

Researchers may have pinpointed why it's hard to maintain eye contact while we speak. If Trump declined to live in the White House, it would be unprecedented. Plus, a Samoan island is prepared to switch entirely to solar energy.

A warm, salty area deep in the Gulf of Mexico kills everything it touches. Bats can fly faster than anyone thought, beating out even the fastest birds. Plus, young women in South Africa plan to launch a satellite as part of a STEM academic program.

Increasingly, Californians are considering a campaign to secede from the union. An error in Spotify's desktop app could damage your computer -- update it! Plus, thankfully, ambient music is a proven therapy, and we've got a bit for you to listen to.

A new humanoid robot keeps its components cool by sweating, just like you and me. Drivers who wait until the last second to merge are scientifically correct - and safer. Plus, we bust a few myths about what will (and won't) damage your smartphone battery.

Demand for coffee during the American Civil War lead to a noxious innovation. Haptic feedback may let you learn certain skills without concentrating. Plus, the history behind Super Tuesday – and questions into whether weekdays work for modern voters.

In the future, tiny personal-assistant robots may crawl all over your clothing. We look back at the life of the infamous evangelical cartoonist Jack Chick. Plus: Why didn’t humans evolve the ability to smell water like other animals can?

The spiny, egg-laying echidna has been identified as one of Australia's keystone species. The Ecuadorian embassy that harbors Wikileaks' founder has cut off his internet access. Plus, certain behaviors on social networking sites can make us less happy.

The first semi-autonomous driver's license now belongs to a man with quadriplegia. Autonomous driving tech has also brought us self-driving chairs for long lines. Plus, the phrase "keeping up with the Joneses" may have been inspired by a real family.

The way you walk can predict your personality and behavior. Horses can be taught to communicate using symbols. Plus, the advantages (and disadvantages) of bicycle helmets equipped with airbags.

Global warming may reveal a secret U.S. nuclear base buried under Greenland’s icecap. Now that the Rosetta spacecraft is offline, we take a look back at what it taught us about comets. Plus, thousands of women in Saudi Arabia have signed a petition to abolish the male guardianship system.

North Korean authorities are attempting to ban some types of sarcastic speech. A set of human remains was found at the site of the Antikythera Mechanism shipwreck. Plus, China’s decommissioned Tiangong-1 space station may be out of control and heading toward Earth.

Indoor cats are healthier (and less likely to be jerks) when you let them hunt. Market research predicts that robots will take 6 percent of U.S. jobs in the next 5 years. Plus, meet the mythical Chinese characters who have inspired comic book superheroes.

It seems that cuttlefish have the number sense to rival human babies. Some catfish have added small land mammals to their diets. Plus, China is looking to build a laboratory on the ocean floor – but why?

Some spiders live in colonies with thousands of neighbors and share themselves to death. Autism in women is often misunderstood and undiagnosed, but new campaigns and research may help. Plus, Earth may have entered a new geological epoch due to human intervention.

The first completely soft-bodied robot is an octopus. Seattle plans to experiment with lowering heroin risks by providing safe drug houses. Plus, a default setting in Microsoft Excel has caused errors in a whole lot of genetics research papers.

Just 715 million years ago, Venus might have supported life as we know it. According to atmospheric chemistry experts, fringe theories about chemtrails don’t add up. Plus, most dogs prefer their owners’ praise to food rewards.

Humpback whales save other sea creatures from orca attacks. The parasitic Guinea worm, faced with extinction, has jumped from human hosts to a new species. Plus, your personality may shape your taste in music more than any other factor.

Geological evidence may prove that a legendary flood really happened in ancient China. A private company now has permission to land on the Moon. Plus, the government of Ontario is moving forward with their plan to test universal basic income.

Researchers created a (hypothetical) human body evolved to withstand car crashes. Genetically modified mosquitoes could save millions of lives. Plus, higher compensation for CEOs doesn’t indicate better long-term business performance: Why?

An artist proposes making human-leather fashion grown from Alexander McQueen’s DNA, raising genetic ownership questions. Drones might dismantle land mines quickly and safely. Plus, engineers designed interlocking blocks that change and encode sound.

Researchers are making aerospace insulation out of bread. Saving both cows and lions from harm may be as simple as painting eyes on the cows’ rumps. Plus: Are gun violence and police violence on the rise, or are we just more aware of that violence?

The U.S. has a Transhumanist Party presidential candidate: What IS transhumanism? A car accident is raising questions about the safety and responsibility of autonomous vehicles. Plus, a study indicates that marijuana has a long-term impact on emotions.

A chatbot has helped people save $4 million in unfair parking tickets. A comprehensive study linked moving during adolescence to adverse life outcomes. Plus, some people fall in love with inanimate objects: It’s called objectum sexuality.

Applying an electric charge to chocolate makes it flow easier and removes fat. New research may end the eternal struggle to get that last bit of shampoo out of the bottle. Plus, a Supreme Court decision loosens the reins on how cops can collect evidence.