The enhanced silk was also 50 percent stronger than the regular stuff.

Here are a few ideas that can help you live a lighter, healthier, more sustainable life.

The paper Unocup ditches plastic in a bid to reduce waste and improve ergonomics.

Walking around an urban park inspires the same happy glow as you feel on Christmas morning.

Here's a breakdown of how each disinfectant kills specific types of germs.

New documentary from the director of 'Fuel' and 'The Big Fix' offers real alternatives to fossil fuels.

WIth room for 5,000 residents, the $26 billion Ocean Spiral scheme offers a subaqueous alternative to overcrowded and costly terrestrial living.

Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and other billionaires have announced a new private coalition to help fund development of nascent sustainable technologies.

No outlet needed for this lamp — just plug it into the nearest plant.

By 2020, onshore wind and solar power are expected to be cheaper sources of new electricity than any fossil fuel.

Politically, it would help if we could grow tropical jatropha in the U.S., but this could be an imported fuel we'll welcome at the pumps.

A deceased celebrity tops Barbara Walters' annual list for the first time.

Mayor announced a plan to offer his employees discounts to Weight Watchers.

We tracked the journey of our new chicks online as they made their way across state lines and to their new home — our home — in West Virginia.

Climate change could affect our food supply at the same time that global population is increasing.

Artist Iori Tomita explores the natural art of the skeletal system by exploiting clever chemistry tricks. See how it's done.

A flamboyant cousin of the fearsome Velociraptor was covered in layers of showy feathers from head to tail.

These are the best preserved specimens of this extinct Arctic lion ever found.

Fossil reveals plumage patterns of these ancient beasts, further establishing an evolutionary link between dinosaurs and birds.

How this little prince grew into the tyrant king of the dinosaur world.

Thousands of people have been walking over the fossil for decades without knowing it.

Following fresh eyewitness evidence, researchers are placing dozens of camera traps in a remote region of Australia.

Scientists have never seen a giant shipworm (Kuphus polythalamia) alive before, and it's the stuff of nightmares.

From sleep problems to back pain, a bad job can take a toll on your body.

Microsoft Japan gives staff Fridays off — and it pays off for both employees and the company's bottom line.

It's remarkable how attitudes change when the issue is in your own backyard, but progressive boomers are making themselves heard.

The research sheds new light on how our musical tastes change as we age and why.

Homeless woman Emily Zamourka became a viral video star after singing in a Los Angeles metro station.

REI is leading the way with #OptOutside, but other major brands are following their example on Black Friday.

Harvard's Music Lab has spent five years compiling a large database of thousands of songs from all over the world — with some striking similarities.

The Vilnius Christmas tree was named the most beautiful in Europe.

Vault lights in the sidewalks were useful ways to light the rooms down below.

It's a book club for introverts to be social without all the pressure of a regular book club.

Daniel Rueda and Anna Devís take inspiration from architecture and design and create colorful, geometric photos.

Herpers are people who search for chameleons at night and remove the invasive species from the wild. What happens next, though, is controversial.

From virgin lands that scientists want to study without human interference to super-secret military bases, you'll never go to any of these amazing places.

When you think of stained teeth, you may be quick to blame coffee. But there are other foods and beverages that could be tingeing your pearly whites.

The LA County Fair has held a tablescaping competition since the 1930s, and it's so popular that they have to turn contestants away each year.

In the 1930s, the National Park Service created master plans for each U.S. national park that showed and explained the vision for development of each park.

A new generic option will soon offer relief for families who shell out hundreds of dollars for these epinephrine-filled devices.

New research shows that viral infections can evolve to affect men worse than women because the viruses consider women to be more valuable hosts.

Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski, who built and flew her own plane at 14, just earned a Ph.D. from Harvard and she's proof of the growing power of the STEM push.

A ghost forest occurs when sea levels rise and flood healthy coastal forests with saltwater, killing the trees. Plus, 5 ghost forests in the U.S.

Sweden has a floating library — the bokbåten — that brings thousands of books to people on dozens of remote islands in the Stockholm archipelago twice a year.

'Magic' indeed: Many edible varieties of mushrooms are packed with vitamins, can boost your immunity, lower inflammation and help prevent cancer.

The U.S. Women's Soccer team got a visit from service dogs in training before their match Thursday.

Injured military K-9 from ISIS raid visits the White House.

A woman taught her dogs how to sing 'Happy Birthday' so they could help serenade her mother on her big day.

Wolf puppies pick up on human cues and can catch and return balls.

Some states have ditched the art of cursive writing so the teaching time can be used for other subjects, but it's making a comeback.