The Watchers team and our contributors bring the latest on extreme weather, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, space weather, and all things science. We're all about making sense of the natural world and keeping you informed on what’s happening. Got a tip or a question? Hit us up using the form at newstips!

  • Understanding the phytochemical power of turmeric

    Sometimes called Indian saffron, turmeric is an ancient ayurvedic medicine that has been used for centuries throughout Indonesia and Southeast Asia. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant with a long history of use both medicinally and in cuisine. A

  • Russia considering total GMO ban

    The Russian government has ordered all relevant agencies to examine whether or not to continue imports of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the country.

    According to reports, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ordered the action, directing the agencies

  • The women who mapped the universe and still couldn’t get any respect

    In 1881, Edward Charles Pickering, director of the Harvard Observatory, had a problem: the volume of data coming into his observatory was exceeding his staff’s ability to analyze it. He also had doubts about his staff’s competence–especially that of

  • Turmeric: The return of the Golden goddess

    Ancient Indians understood turmeric to be the physical essence of the Divine Mother. Modern science now confirms that it has therapeutic properties relevant to well over 500 health conditions, and may bestow on those who take it, protection from many

  • Israel bans fluoridation of drinking water

    Taking a major step toward protecting the health of its citizens, the Supreme Court of Israel has ruled that the nation will stop fluoridating its water supplies. When the new law goes into effect, in summer of 2014, no community in Israel will be

  • France confirms it will continue ban on GMO corn, despite council ruling

    It has been confirmed that France will extend its moratorium on the cultivation of Monsanto's genetically-modified (GM) MON810 corn within its borders, despite a recent ruling by the French Council of State that the longstanding ban violates European Union (EU)

  • Yet more science proves breastfeeding boosts IQs of babies

    Nurturing a baby through breastfeeding is a proven method of care that boosts a child's IQ. A new study out of Boston, published in the AMA Journal of Pediatrics, points out that the longer a child is breastfed, the higher their IQ will be. The correlation was made

  • Expensive medications rendered useless by gut bacteria

    The human body appears to have its own built-in safety mechanism for breaking down questionable pharmaceutical components and rendering them inactive. A recent study published in the journal Science reveals that gut flora, which naturally populate human