International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/B. O'Connor (UMD/GWU) & J. Rastinejad & W Fong (Northwestern Univ) Image processing: T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage/NSF’s NOIRLab), J. Miller, M. Zamani & D. de Martin (NSF’s NOIRLab)

Explaining GRB 221009A, the Greatest Cosmic Explosion Humanity Has Ever Seen

The brightest gamma-ray burst ever observed, GRB 221009A behaved in unexpected ways that might help us understand how they occur.
Ada Yonath

Six Women in Science You Should Know

Six female scientists—historical and contemporary—who don’t have much name recognition but who have done important, interesting work.
Fairy Circles

The Weird Fairy Circles of Namibia

The deserts of Namibia are dotted with odd circular bare patches, ringed by the dry desert grasses. They're called "fairy circles." It’s a desert whodunit.
Giant Squid attack

Giant Squid, Giant Secrets

Very little is known about the giant squid, which surely has added to the strange creature's mystique.
Roller coaster in Atlantic City

What Makes Your Roller Coaster Go? Physics!

The physics behind the fun: roller coasters provide so many examples of basic principles that they are a staple of physics lessons.