Glowing ring of gas around central dark shadow of black hole Sagittarius A* at center of Milky Way

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.
Spider-Man

The Real Science of the Multiverse

Explaining some of the mind-bending science behind the popular science fiction trope.
Collage of women astronomers

Eight Women Astronomers You Should Know

A guided tour of selected luminaries of astronomy, from Ancient Greece to today.
The Chiang Mai crocodile newt

The Quiet eDNA Revolution Transforming Conservation

The aquatic monitoring tool has powerful potential.
A koala named Pete from Pappinbarra at The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital on November 29, 2019 in Port Macquarie, Australia

Ecological Surprises From Fires Down Under

The recent Australian 2019-2020 bushfires were devastating for people and fauna. Long term, they may not hurt wildlife and ecosystems as much as expected.
Carl Sagan holding a globe model of the planet Mars, 1970s.

Should We Go to Mars? Carl Sagan Had Thoughts

It'd be "a step more significant than the colonization of land by our amphibian ancestors some 500 million years ago." But Sagan had reservations.
View of the Pacific Ocean in Point Mugu State Park, Ventura County, CA

How Drought Could Make Sea-Level Rise Worse

Take southern California, for instance.
Palau, Micronesia

Scientists Find Clues to the Mysteries of an Ocean Reef

Beyond the tropical waters of the island nation of Palau lies the Ngaraard Pinnacle, a much rarer kind of reef than its colorful coral cousin.
Exploring Biology by Ella Thea Smith

The Hidden History of Biology Textbooks 

American biology textbooks supposedly became less scientific after the Scopes trial. One scholar argues that this isn't the whole story.
Freeways in Los Angeles

The Permanent Crisis of Infrastructure

Ever since it entered public consciousness in the 1980s, infrastructure has been synonymous with decline.