Science Innovations

Top 10 Deadliest Outbreaks 10. The Smallpox Epidemic of the 1500s During the 1500s, conquerors and colonists invaded the Americas, making it the home of almost 100 million people. The natives, such as the Incas and Aztecs, did not have immune systems that were able to defeat new diseases. These new diseases reduced the population to between 5 and 10 million. Smallpox was caused by the variola virus. The disease caused fevers, body aches and a rash that turns from fluid-filled bumps and scabs into permanent, deep scars. The disease spread through direct contact with infected people's skin or bodily fluids, but could also be contracted through the air in small, confined spaces. Even though the smallpox epidemic during the 1500s was not intentional, there have been instances where the spread of the disease has been a conscious effort to wipe out a population. In 1763, during the French and Indian War, British Commander Sir Jeffrey Amherst instructed the infection of the O...

Top 10 Meteorites It's a little bit terrifying to think that there are giant rocks, flying straight at our planet, on a regular basis, but it's true. Good thing we've got our atmosphere to help fry the occasional wayward piece of asteroid or comet as it heads our way … but once in a while, and handful (or more) make it through and we get everything from pretty shooting stars to terrifying meteor fireballs, not to mention the occasional nice-looking extraterrestrial rock. 1: Tunguska Event The meteor that flew through the earth's atmosphere in 1908 over Siberia exploded just a few miles from the Siberian surface. The explosion had the force of an atomic bomb and flattened some 800 square miles of trees. It took years for scientists to begin investigating in the remote, unpopulated area; one hundred years later, they're still looking for conclusive evidence of a strike, in the form of a crater or meteor fragments. Some now believe a nearby lake may conc...

Top 10 Giant Brains There's no Academy Award for Brains, but if there were, this Top 10 List would be the red carpet. So here we are, giving you Behind-the-Scenes, exclusive access on the world's most prodigious men and women, and who they're wearing (and by "who they're wearing" we mean "what they've accomplished"). There will be tears, victory, upsets—but read on to find out who exactly takes home the coveted prize. (Spoiler alert: an honor of Titanic proportions goes to another famous Leo ...) 1: Leonardo da Vinci Maybe curiosity killed the cat, but for Leonardo da Vinci, curiosity didn't kill nothin'! It has often been said that Leo's insatiable curiosity was matched only by his resulting inventions. He's also known as one of the most widely diverse men in terms of talents, jumping from math and science to art and writing, botany to music. He was also an enormous influence on our No. 2 prodigy, Albert Einstein. Th...

Top 1 0 Bermuda Triangle Theories The legend of the Bermuda Triangle probably started sometime around 1945, when a squadron of five Navy Avenger airplanes disappeared on a training flight out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Soon, the masses were wondering: Was something amiss in the triangle-shaped stretch of ocean between Miami, Bermuda and Puerto Rico? Today, we've all heard of the Bermuda Triangle. And over the years, a whole host of theories, from the wacky to the reasonable, have cropped up to explain its disappearances. Here are just a few… 1: Human error/Pilot disorientation Look, no one likes to admit they make mistakes...but we all do it, and pilots and sailors are no exception. The Bermuda Triangle's tropical weather and crystal blue water make it prime aviation stomping ground for everyone from veteran pilots to Navy sailors to amateurs looking to play around. There's a lot of traffic in the area, and when you add in the turbulent weather patterns, s...