When Did Alchemy End?
Despite royal prohibition, transmutation efforts continued underground long after the widely accepted dates for their demise.
A Natural History of Dragons
Dragons began life as snakes, but natural historians gradually began describing them in more fantastical ways.
Caroline Herschel Claims Her Comet
Couching her petition in a mix of modesty and expertise, Herschel became the first woman to have a scientific paper read to the Royal Society of London.
After the Volcano Erupts
The catastrophic eruption of Japan’s Ontake-san allowed residents to reconsider and reinvent their relationships to the mountainous landscape.
The New Oceanography: More Remote and More Inclusive
The days of celebrity oceanographers romancing the deep are gone, and maybe that’s a good thing.
Trouvelot’s Total Lunar Eclipse
Immigrant artist Étienne Léopold Trouvelot used his skills to accurately represent the details—and the sublimity—of our solar system.
Black Holes R Us
The universe is full of black holes. Even the Milky Way has one, and we now have a picture of it. Don't panic, but it looks like a blurry glazed donut.
The Real Science of the Multiverse
Explaining some of the mind-bending science behind the popular science fiction trope.
Eight Women Astronomers You Should Know
A guided tour of selected luminaries of astronomy, from Ancient Greece to today.
The Quiet eDNA Revolution Transforming Conservation
The aquatic monitoring tool has powerful potential.