One barrel of petroleum holds 42 gallons.
20
Columbia University has developed an artificial tree that passively soaks up carbon dioxide from the air using "leaves" that are 1,000 times more efficient than true leaves that use photosynthesis.
15
Termites are being researched as a possible renewable energy source as they can produce up to 2 litres of hydrogen from ingesting a single sheet of paper, making them one of the planet’s most efficient bioreactors.
24
Oak trees produce 2,200 acorns in a season, but each acorn only has a 1 in 10,000 chance of becoming an oak tree.
304
Forensic scientists can determine a person's sex, age, and race by examining a single strand of hair.
101
Scientists are attempting to create a synthetic brain by reverse-engineering the mammalian brain down to the molecular level. A cellular human brain is predicted possible by 2023. It hopes to shed light on consciousness.
10
At 15 years old, Jack Andraka invented a method of diagnosing pancreatic cancer, thus helping to save the lives of millions of people around the world. It is 168 times faster, 26,000 times cheaper, 400 times more sensitive, and has a 99% success rate.
15
Sound travels about 4 times faster in water than in air.
408