Science news is always enthralling, but sometimes a story is so mind-blowing that it causes your neurons to grow in new directions. Here are the 10 science stories on io9 that grabbed your attention the most last year.
This list was compiled by looking back and observing which science stories got the most views. They are ranked starting with the most popular. I guess it might not be fair to say that stories which got the most views were the ones that "freaked you out the most," but oftentimes they were.
Click the headlines to read the original stories.
A Drug That Could Give You Perfect Visual Memory
From the post:
Imagine if you could look at something once and remember it forever. You would never have to ask for directions again. Now a group of scientists has isolated a protein that mega-boosts your ability to remember what you see.
A Harvard Psychiatrist Explains Zombie Neurobiology
From the post:
In Night of the Living Dead, zombies are brought back from the dead by a "mysterious force" that allows their brains to continue functioning. But how exactly does a zombie brain function? Finally, a Harvard psychiatrist has the answers.
Dark Matter Lab Dedicated 5,000 Feet Underground
From the post:
This week, the Sanford Lab dedicated an underground science fortress to research dark matter. The lab is 5,000 feet underground in the mountains of South Dakota, shielded from cosmic radiation.
Is the Large Hadron Collider Being Sabotaged From the Future?
From the post:
What if all the Large Hadron Collider's recent woes are more than bad luck and technical problems? Two noted physicists speculate that the future may be pushing back on the LHC to avert the disaster of observing the Higgs boson.
25 of the Scariest Science Experiments Ever Conducted
From the post:
While science has the power to improve our lives and cure disease, it can also be used to torture, murder, and brainwash. Here are 25 scary experiments that destroyed lives, or have the potential to unleash doomsday.
A Living Example of a Hobbit Found In Quatar?
From the post:
A woman in Qatar snapped a photo of a creature in a parking lot whom many witnesses also claim to have seen. Could it be a living relative of the Hobbit fossils found recently?
NOTE: This story has been proven false, and therefore should probably fall under the header of pseudoscience. Still, it was amusing while it lasted.
NASA Volcano Image Shows Atmospheric Shockwave
From the post:
On June 12th, Saychev Peak on Matua Island erupted, hurling ash and steam into the air. Luckily, NASA's International Space Station was watching. This stunning image, from the Earth Observatory, reveals some rare details about this eruption.
Ten Science Stories That Changed Our Decade
From the post:
There is no doubt that science has become more like science fiction in the past decade, with amazing innovations and discoveries that increased our understanding of the universe. We list ten of the biggest science stories from the past decade.
Public Utilities Group Confirms "Sewer Monster" Is Real, But Doesn't Know What It Is
From the post:
If you've been following the ongoing sewer monster story from North Carolina, I've got some seriously crazy news for you. First of all, the video of the throbbing poop-esque creature has been confirmed as real. But what is it?
Two Augmented Reality Technologies That Are About To Change The World
From the post:
Augmented reality is a technology futurists and scifi authors like Vernor Vinge have been talking about for decades. Now the tech has matured and is entering the market. Two videos of new products show you the near future.