life's little mysteries
Latest about life's little mysteries
![Aerial view of road amidst trees during autumn, Vermont, United States, USA.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qDHCX2NKejatn6qhCwcq5D-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qDHCX2NKejatn6qhCwcq5D-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qDHCX2NKejatn6qhCwcq5D-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qDHCX2NKejatn6qhCwcq5D-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qDHCX2NKejatn6qhCwcq5D-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qDHCX2NKejatn6qhCwcq5D-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qDHCX2NKejatn6qhCwcq5D-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qDHCX2NKejatn6qhCwcq5D-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Why do leaves change color in the fall?
By Amanda Heidt published
Plants draw on a suite of pigments to produce energy from sunlight, and in the fall, some become more obvious than others.
![Close up of abdominals of athletic couple wearing sportswear.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KaRszeHprgZTmNRG6UmfsX-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KaRszeHprgZTmNRG6UmfsX-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KaRszeHprgZTmNRG6UmfsX-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KaRszeHprgZTmNRG6UmfsX-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KaRszeHprgZTmNRG6UmfsX-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KaRszeHprgZTmNRG6UmfsX-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KaRszeHprgZTmNRG6UmfsX-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KaRszeHprgZTmNRG6UmfsX-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Why do people sport 4-, 6- or even 8-pack abs?
By Kiley Price published
The number of washboard abs you can show is determined by your DNA, according to research.
![Blue sky and white cloud nature background.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FRdq8ZbPetwNDRV9R3hYpP-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FRdq8ZbPetwNDRV9R3hYpP-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FRdq8ZbPetwNDRV9R3hYpP-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FRdq8ZbPetwNDRV9R3hYpP-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FRdq8ZbPetwNDRV9R3hYpP-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FRdq8ZbPetwNDRV9R3hYpP-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FRdq8ZbPetwNDRV9R3hYpP-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FRdq8ZbPetwNDRV9R3hYpP-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Why is the sky blue?
By Donavyn Coffey published
The sky's blueness isn't from reflecting the water. Instead, its color has to do with scattered light.
![A Karelian bear dog is companion to a trained wolf in the forest.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xHDaVHCpUw7snuX57zkBYN-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xHDaVHCpUw7snuX57zkBYN-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xHDaVHCpUw7snuX57zkBYN-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xHDaVHCpUw7snuX57zkBYN-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xHDaVHCpUw7snuX57zkBYN-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xHDaVHCpUw7snuX57zkBYN-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xHDaVHCpUw7snuX57zkBYN-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xHDaVHCpUw7snuX57zkBYN-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Are dogs smarter than wolves?
By Kiley Price published
Dogs evolved from wolves, but is one smarter than the other?
![An illustration of a green and blue planet in space with light shining on it.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nb5Jep3eFRYgCkk6wboxRd-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nb5Jep3eFRYgCkk6wboxRd-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nb5Jep3eFRYgCkk6wboxRd-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nb5Jep3eFRYgCkk6wboxRd-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nb5Jep3eFRYgCkk6wboxRd-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nb5Jep3eFRYgCkk6wboxRd-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nb5Jep3eFRYgCkk6wboxRd-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nb5Jep3eFRYgCkk6wboxRd-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
What's the best evidence we've found for alien life?
By Patrick Pester published
Don't expect an alien invasion anytime soon.
![The burial of a 25-30 year old woman from St. Germain-le-Ridiere, France. The skull has red ochre markings, suggesting a ritual burial.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/66YKtjXywv9tXVkMEz6XaM-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/66YKtjXywv9tXVkMEz6XaM-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/66YKtjXywv9tXVkMEz6XaM-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/66YKtjXywv9tXVkMEz6XaM-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/66YKtjXywv9tXVkMEz6XaM-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/66YKtjXywv9tXVkMEz6XaM-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/66YKtjXywv9tXVkMEz6XaM-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/66YKtjXywv9tXVkMEz6XaM-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
When did humans start burying their dead?
By Patrick Pester published
Ancient caves mark the beginning of recorded burial rituals, but there's still so much we don't know about the history of human graves.
![Many valuable diamonds, raw and cut, for further processing for the jewelry industry.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dx7xbdwdTdTyKa8XdBwrSg-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dx7xbdwdTdTyKa8XdBwrSg-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dx7xbdwdTdTyKa8XdBwrSg-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dx7xbdwdTdTyKa8XdBwrSg-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dx7xbdwdTdTyKa8XdBwrSg-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dx7xbdwdTdTyKa8XdBwrSg-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dx7xbdwdTdTyKa8XdBwrSg-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dx7xbdwdTdTyKa8XdBwrSg-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
What's the deepest-occurring gemstone on Earth?
By Amanda Heidt published
Very few gems can withstand the intense pressure of Earth's mantle, but some require it to crystallize.
![Two bright red ladybugs walk towards each other on a twig, one on top, the other beneath, on a bright blue background.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Xawcw5bzwsuKtH95rovf4J-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Xawcw5bzwsuKtH95rovf4J-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Xawcw5bzwsuKtH95rovf4J-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Xawcw5bzwsuKtH95rovf4J-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Xawcw5bzwsuKtH95rovf4J-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Xawcw5bzwsuKtH95rovf4J-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Xawcw5bzwsuKtH95rovf4J-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Xawcw5bzwsuKtH95rovf4J-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Which group of animals has the most species?
By Emma Bryce published
The leading group is so diverse that it represents one in every three animal species on Earth.
Live Science newsletter
Stay up to date on the latest science news by signing up for our Essentials newsletter.