Free Republic

With Valentine’s Day chocolates down to the bottom of the box and Halloween candy many moons away, your sweet tooth might be aching a little extra. Luckily, Easter is right around the corner, bringing plenty of beloved springtime sweets to the table—or rather, basket. Ever wonder how your Easter candy preferences compare to the rest of your state? You might be a Peeps fan, while your neighbors are reaching for Starburst—or perhaps your Easter candy soulmate lives beyond state lines. Either way, America picks favorites, and some are more surprising than others. Ready to see how your taste stacks up?...

Scientists Map 5,000 New Ocean Viruses In the few decades since viruses were first found in the oceans, scientists have only been able to identify a handful of species. A new survey has uncovered nearly all the rest. Photographs by Jennifer Brum, Tucson Marine Phage LabA few of the more than 5,000 viruses discovered during the Tara Oceans Expedition. By: Carl ZimmerMay 21, 2015 In March 2011, the Tara, a 36-meter schooner, sailed from Chile to Easter Island — a three-week leg of a five-year global scientific expedition. All but one of the seven scientists aboard the ship spent much...

World's pollution hotspots mapped Living on lead A US-based environmental charity has documented what it calls the 10 most polluted places on the planet. The Blacksmith Institute says three of the hotspots are in Russia, with the remainder dotted in various countries. Heavy metals such as lead are the main sources of pollution, with 10 million people affected across the locations. The institute surveyed scientists and environmental bodies across the world to compile its list, and is running clean-up projects in some of the sites. The charity has focused largely on locations where people are affected by the pollution. "A...