Kastalia Medrano
Science Writer
Kastalia Medrano is a Manhattan-based journalist whose writing has appeared at outlets like Pacific Standard, VICE, National Geographic, the Paris Review Daily, and Real Life magazine. Her RTs = unwavering personal convictions @kastaliamedrano.
What Happens to Our Consciousness When We Die?
"Our consciousness, it seems, does not become annihilated just because we've crossed the threshold of death; it appears to keep functioning and not dissipate."
North America Sits on the World's Largest Mercury Pool
"There would be no environmental problem if everything remained frozen, but we know the Earth is getting warmer."
Physics: Can Dark Matter Cool? New Theory Says Yes
A new theoretical model of dark matter suggests it contains two distinct varieties of charged particles, which would allow it to form compact objects.
Dozens Test Positive for HIV After Visit by Fake Doctor
He reportedly told his "patients" that he could give them an injection that would make them feel better.
Rare Byzantine Mosaic With Ancient Greek Writing Found
The mosaic's multicolored patterns were painstakingly composed of tiny stones—about 3,000 of them per square foot.
What Superionic Water Ice Reveals About Magnetic Fields
Neptune and Uranus could have thin exterior shells of liquid water and thick interior mantles of superionic ice water.
Physics: Is Chronic Pain a Consciousness Disorder?
A research overlap with physics suggests that chronic pain may be a consciousness disorder, rather than a physical one.
Ancient Fossil of 'Lizard Fish' Discovered by Young Boy
This is the first time Candelarhynchus padillai has ever been seen in tropical South America.
Oklahoma Sex Offenders Could Face Chemical Castration
Some experts think the procedure could be a human rights violation.
Physics: What's an Odderon, and Did CERN Just Find It?
"We've been looking for this since the 1970s."
Nevada Division of Tourism Offers Travel Guide For UFOs
The state is welcoming all aliens and alien-seekers with a fresh itinerary.
What Is a Hypersonic Railgun?
In the way that cannons use gunpowder to launch a projectile, railguns use electromagnetic energy.
Quantum Chemistry Solves Long-Standing Genetic Mystery
Why do we have seemingly extra amino acids in our genetic code? Quantum chemistry borrowed from space to find the answer.
Egyptian Coffins Believed to Hold Mummified Birds
The discovery was made after authorities received reports of illegal excavations in the area.
'Megalopolis' of 60,000 Ancient Mayan Structures Found
"We now have to consider that complex societies may have formed in the tropics and made their way outward from there."
Ancient Christian Site Reveals Cache of Rare Treasures
The pool drains into a fountain called a "nymphaeon"—the first such structure found in Israel.
Mexico: Circle of Skeletons With Arms Linked Discovered
The "spiral of human bones" included adolescents, a toddler and an infant.
Speed of Light Could Be Dropped to Zero Using Crystals
The researchers believe the method could work for not just light, but other kinds of waves such as sound.
Orange Cave Crocodile Mutating Into Its Own Species
When the crocs reach their full size, they become trapped inside the caves for the rest of their lives.
Earth's Magnetic Poles Show Signs They're About to Flip
After hundreds of thousands of years, signs of this change are finally apparent.
Alien Life Could Exist Even Without Weak Nuclear Force
Weak nuclear force is stronger than gravity, but weaker than, you know, strong nuclear force.
Breakthrough DNA Sequencer Fills Gaps in Human Genome
The device has closed 12 gaps in the known human genome.
Gold Coins Might Reveal Identity of Famous Shipwreck
One coin in particular could be worth up to $100,000.
Naked Mole Rats Don't Age, Feel Pain or Get Cancer
The discovery "goes against everything we know in terms of mammalian biology."
Man Killed After Being 'Sucked' Into MRI Machine
A hospital staff member had assured the victim that the machine was turned off.
New Laser Could Rip Apart Space Vacuum
A super powerful laser would be used to reverse the process by which we convert heat and light into matter to create nuclear weapons.
Why Scientists Still Can't Define 'Modern' Human
The definition of a 'modern' human just became more contentious.
Black Holes Could Be Source of Three Space Particles
Neutrinos and gamma rays may be the "daughter particles" of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays.
Bears Burned in Wildfire Get New Paws Made of Fish Skin
This is the first time tilapia skin has ever been used to bandage an animal in this way.
Biblical Text With Pages Fused Shut Revealed by X-Ray
Biblical scholars have been waiting for a clear shot at M.910 since the early '60s.
