Results tagged “superpowers” from 60 Second Science

Genetic change has been coming 100 times faster in the past 5000 years than at any point in previous history say Robert K. Moyzis of the University of California, Irvine, and Henry C. Harpending of the University of Utah. I imagine they then immediately shouted, NBA Jam-style, "He's heating up!" while fantasizing about the inevitability of women who sprout wings and men who shoot lasers out of their nostrils.

While the more prevalent notion has been that evolution has slowed or halted, favoring cultural rather than biological change, 7% of all human genes showed evidence of recent natural selection.

Continue reading 'From poop to laser eyes: Human evolution is rapidly speeding up' >

(A 60-second primer on Daredevil, for the geekily inclined.)

OK, it's not quite as cool as Marvel Comics' blind superhero, who could literally "see" with sound -- but it's close. People blinded early in life really do develop extra-sensitive aural abilities compared to the rest of us, by shunting their brains' unused visual circuitry over to enhance the sound-detecting parts. No radioactive accidents needed!

Continue reading 'Daredevil Effect: blind brains rewire themselves for super-hearing' >