Douglas Main
Senior writer
Douglas Main is a journalist who lives in New York City and whose writing has appeared in the New York Times, Popular Science, Smithsonian, Nautilus, LiveScience, Discover Magazine, Popular Mechanics and elsewhere. He once worked in a lab studying drugs derived from the Amazon rainforest, before switching to writing about weird animals in the Amazon and many other topics, from science to health to the environment. When he isn’t exploring city or forest he likes to play basketball, read and go to concerts. He’s not fond of Oxford commas.
Meet the Brave Bloke Slowly Sailing Around England
Winter, a 'middle-aged, middle-class bloke from Middle England,' decided at 52 to spend summers sailing because 'if you live on an island, at some stage you should sail around it.'
Scientists Discover How Magic Mushrooms Make Psilocybin
The study could pave the way for easier production of the psychedelic psilocybin.
Heroin and Fentanyl Are Killing More Teenagers
The seeming disparity can be attributed to more toxic drugs.
Why Total Solar Eclipses Frightened Ancient Cultures
Many cultures viewed the eclipse as the result of some spirit devouring the sun.
Knee Arthritis Becoming More Common for Unknown Reasons
The researchers don't yet know the cause, but it likely involved fitness and diet.
Spiders Engage in Threesomes to Avoid Being Eaten
Threesomes have rarely been witnessed among other animals. (Besides humans.)
Climate Change Likely Triggered Greenland Wildfires
Lightning strikes and wildfires have always been rare on this island made of ice.
Climate Change Report Authors Worry About Trump, Leak
The report says humans have caused some warming, a view at odds with that of the Trump crew.
Large Magnitude 6.5 Earthquake Hits Western China
The earthquake hit a remote and mountainous region inhabited by herders.
How Bad Dentures Left a Mechanic Wheelchair-Bound
Though rare, cases of copper deficiency are on the rise.
Illegal Pot Farms Dump Large Amount of Toxic Waste
The problem has gotten significantly worse in the past few years.
Utah Joins Throng Suing EPA Contractors Over Mine Spill
The accident sent 3 million gallons of contaminated water down the Animas river.
Flame Retardants Linked to IQ Decline in Children
The study suggests the effect of flame retardants could be similar to that of lead.
Controversial Herbicide Makes Cane Toads More Toxic
The herbicide may stress out the animals, causing them to compensate with toxins.
Study Reveals Funniest Words in the English Language
Young people laughed at words like "frock," while older respondents liked "pixies."
Costa Rican Snake Has Strange Hunting Technique
These yellow snakes have an uncanny ability to hunt at night in rough waters, along with several other oddities.
Tropical Storm Emily Hits Florida, Emergency Declared
This if the fifth named storm of the season, which is on track to be about average.
Ross 128: Scientists Solve Mystery of Rogue Signals
The transmission likely comes from a human technology.
Zealandia: Scientists Set to Drill into Lost Continent
The two-month expedition will drill into the seafloor to find out more about the submerged "continent."
Wildfire Season: No Relief in Sight for California
This summer is the third-worst wildfire season in the past decade.
Iranian Fisherman Filmed Surfing a Whale Shark
While not illegal, surfing a whale shark is 'inherently dangerous' and harassment toward the docile beasts.
Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy May Up Autism Risk
Study author emphasizes mothers "should not base decisions about the use of antidepressants during pregnancy on any one study."
Humans Have Made More Than 9 Billion Tons of Plastic
The total is approximately 25,000 times the weight of the Empire State Building.
The Unique Weather System Behind Arizona Flash Floods
The Southwest monsoon provides most of northwest Mexico's yearly rainfall.
Working Long Hours Raises Risk of Irregular Heartbeat
Working more than 55 hours a week is linked to a 40 percent increase in atrial fibrillation.
Woman Awakened by Mountain Lion Crashing Through Window
The mountain lion was likely looking for a place to hide, or was spooked by its reflection.
Ravens Can Plan Ahead and Use Tools as Well as Apes
New research shows ravens are actually better at bartering than several apes, including chimps.
In First Ever Sighting, Wild Lion Adopts Leopard Cub
Lions have adopted other lions, but no big cat has been seen nursing cubs of another species before this.
New Crab Species Dwells Within Coat of Living Anemones
The crab and its anemone "shell" have a symbiotic relationship.
Inside Earth, Visualized: HD Video Models Planet's Core
This is the most in-depth visualization of the Earth's outer core to date.
