How Plate Tectonics Shook Life into Existence
The cycles of life all rely on the dynamism of the Earth’s crust.
The Carrington Event of 1859 Disrupted Telegraph Lines. A “Miyake Event” Would Be Far Worse
We don't know what causes Miyake events, but these great surges of energy can help us understand the past—while posing a threat to our future.
EV Cars: Can We Electrify Our Way Out of the Climate Crisis?
The transition to personal electric vehicles in the United States is a cornerstone of the plan to decarbonize transportation. But will it work?
“Ghostly” Neutrinos Help Us See Our Milky Way as Never Before
As Marcel Proust said, “The real voyage of discovery...consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”
We Might Have Accidentally Killed the Only Life We Ever Found on Mars Nearly 50 Years Ago
In one experiment, the Viking landers added water to Martian soil samples. That might have been a very bad idea.
Solved: Astronomers Identify Origin of Mysterious Flares in Galaxy OJ 287
In a distant galaxy, a cosmic dance between two supermassive black holes emits periodic flashes of light.
The A-to-X of Olive Quick Decline Syndrome
The syndrome, caused by the bacterium Xyllella fastidiosa, was first detected in southern Italy in 2013. Can ancient olive orchards survive its effects?
“There’s Gold in Them Thar Fungi”: Cordyceps as Cash Crop
A fungus in the genus Cordyceps has us running scared. But some of its species are worth more than their weight in gold.
Uneven Impacts: The Virtual Water Trade
The virtual water trade reveals significant disparities between water-rich states and their trade partners.
Girls Gone Greek
The most influential character on Showtime’s Yellowjackets is the one who goes unnamed: Dionysus.