flooded houston hurricane harvey impact

Natural and Man-Made Disasters, from Atom Weather to Fire Ants

Mother Nature’s wrath can be unpredictable and random, but history shows that humankind is ultimately responsible for many "natural disasters."
virtual farming

New Farming Frontiers—Heat, Pesticides, and Virtual Reality

As climate change pushes agriculture into the unknown realms, farmers develop new methods of farming and organic sustainable farming takes hold.
tiny fur tree growing after forest fire

It’s the End of the World as We Know It. Is there Any Room for Optimism?

Climate scientists tend to be optimistic and have faith that humanity can engineer our way out of the climate change we’ve created.
Rosalind Franklin

Seven Beautiful Illustrations of Women Scientists You Should Know

When we talk about inspiring girls to study STEM, do we also consider how important it is to ...
microbiome

Your Gut, Your Emotions

According to an international team led by UCLA researchers, our emotions may be partially driven by an unlikely source: our gut bacteria.
Woman thinking

The Science of Thingummyjigs (and Other Words on the Tip of Your Tongue)

What is actually happening when you can't think of the word you mean? It's called Tip of the Tongue syndrome and yes, it's been studied.
Komodo dragon in Indonesia.

The Mysteries of Komodo Dragons

Antibiotics and other medical treatments often come from offbeat sources, but researchers in Virginia have found some promising ...
insect in amber

Should We Worry About Ancient Pathogens Being Revived?

Accidental exposure to bacteria trapped inside a crystal is unlikely. Frozen ancient pathogens, however, are another matter.
TRAPPIST-1 planet illustration

M-Dwarves and the Search for Life

In recent years, astronomers have broadened their search for habitable planets to include previously ignored stars like M-dwarves.
Otzi the Iceman's hat

The Unsolved Case of Ötzi the Iceman

Clues have emerged in a very cold case: the Copper Age killing of Ötzi the Iceman. What do we know about this well-preserved mummy?