Mark Mancini is a freelance writer currently based in New Jersey. Over the years, he’s covered every subject from classic horror movies to Abe Lincoln's favorite jokes. He is particularly fond of paleontology and has been reporting on new developments in this field since 2013. When Mark's not at his writing desk, you can usually find him on stage somewhere because he loves to get involved with community theater. And if you ever feel like trading puns for a few hours, he's your guy.
Recent Contributions
When it comes to a raven vs. crow, it's easy to mistake one for the other. But the two birds are pretty different. How can you tell one from the other?
By Mark Mancini
Every April, the Lyrid meteor shower fills the sky with shooting stars. Here's how to see them in 2023.
By Mark Mancini
The spring, or vernal, equinox traditionally marks the first day of spring — but climate scientists use a different date altogether. Find out more about this and other facts about the spring equinox.
By Mark Mancini
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Known by the nickname "Mesozoic Cow," the African dinosaur Nigersaurus taqueti has also had its face compared to a vacuum cleaner.
By Mark Mancini
Scientists recently found 12 more moons revolving around Jupiter, bringing its total to 92. Why does Jupiter have so many darn moons? And why does Earth just have one?
By Mark Mancini
The stratosphere is one of Earth's five atmospheric layers that also includes the troposphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere.
By Mark Mancini
We take the mystery out of reporting the percent error correctly and show you how to use it in real life.
By Mark Mancini
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You use solenoids every day without ever knowing it. So what exactly are they and how do they work?
By Mark Mancini
Legend says that jackalopes roam the plains of Wyoming and even like to sing campfire songs. How much truth is there to this mythical creature?
By Mark Mancini
The Hays Code was a set of rules that stifled the American film industry for more than three decades. Was it just legal censorship?
By Mark Mancini
Researchers think the Chicxulub crater was caused by the massive asteroid that also killed off the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. What else do we know about this peak-ring crater?
By Mark Mancini
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Like something out of a horror film, this parasitic worm invades a snail's eyestalks, where it pulsates to imitate a caterpillar, attracting the ultimate target, a bird.
By Mark Mancini
The ocean is so deep, it puts the height of Mount Everest to shame.
By Mark Mancini
Treasure hunting may be dangerous, but it sure is super exciting. Here are five treasures people are hunting down right now.
By Mark Mancini
Generations have grown up watching "A Charlie Brown Christmas." But what does baseball legend Willie Mays have to do with this beloved animated special?
By Mark Mancini
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You can find the distance between two points by using the distance formula. It's an application of the Pythagorean theorem. Remember that from high school algebra?
By Mark Mancini
Anne Bonny was an Irish marauder whose brief period of piracy in the 18th century Caribbean enshrined her in legend as one of the few documented female pirates in history.
By Mark Mancini
The Bechdel Test was created in 1985 and has been used ever since to gauge how women are represented in film and on screen. But how accurate is it and does it really still matter?
By Mark Mancini
Scientists are concerned that the Thwaites Glacier is melting at a rapid pace, though some don't love the name "Doomsday Glacier." What does the rapid melt of this huge glacier mean for the future of our planet?
By Mark Mancini
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The Atacama skeleton has sparked intense controversy and, based on its appearance, speculation of alien origin since its discovery in 2003. But what is the real story behind this little skeleton?
By Mark Mancini
It's a slippery proposition, to be sure, but bees do it, birds do it and you can bet that eels do it too. The question is, how do eels reproduce?
By Mark Mancini
Boas and pythons and rattlers, oh my! There are lots of big snakes on this planet, but which one wears the crown of biggest snake in the world?
By Mark Mancini
Everything we do is controlled and enabled by electrical signals running through our bodies. But how are those signals produced?
By Julia Layton & Mark Mancini
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The nine films were released in an unusual order. To get the best viewing experience, should you watch chronologically or in the order they debuted in theaters?
By Mark Mancini
Rossby waves influence everything from high tides to extreme weather patterns, and not just on Earth. They also occur on the sun and on Venus and Jupiter as well. So, what are they exactly?
By Mark Mancini