Why Some Animals Can Tell More From Less
Researchers find that densely packed neurons play an outsize role in quantitative skill—calling into question old assumptions about evolution......»»
NASA’s Newest Spinoff Tech Comes Back to Earth
While the space agency didn't actually develop Tang, its R&D includes everything from robot gloves to vertical farming—with commercial benefits back home......»»
Bird Flu Is Back in the US. No One Knows What Comes Next
The fast-moving pathogen, which has already invaded Europe, was found in East Coast ducks. The last outbreak that tore through the US killed 50 million birds......»»
Wait, So Where Will Urbanites Charge Their EVs?
Homeowners with garages can easily charge their electric cars, but not apartment dwellers. Here's what it'll take to get plugs everywhere in cities......»»
Euler’s 243-Year-Old ‘Impossible’ Puzzle Gets a Quantum Solution
A surprising new solution to the famous “36 officers puzzle” offers a novel way of encoding quantum information......»»
Got an Invasive Army of Crayfish Clones? Try Eating Them
The marbled crayfish is a threat to the native species, but the “Berlin lobster” may also offer a sustainable food source and help stop the spread of parasites......»»
What Happens If a Space Elevator Breaks
These structures are a sci-fi solution to the problem of getting objects into orbit without a rocket—but you don’t want to be under one if the cable snaps......»»
Europe Is in the Middle of a Messy Nuclear Slowdown
Germany has almost finished phasing out nuclear plants, and aging infrastructure is leading neighbors down the same path. But will green energy goals suffer?.....»»
Scientists Are Racing to Understand the Fury of Tonga’s Volcano
The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcanic eruption and tsunami that have devastated Tonga are unlike anything volcanologists have seen before......»»
75 Years On, the Doomsday Clock Keeps Ticking
The iconic graphic of a timepiece originated as a nuclear warning. It updates its time on Thursday amid threats like climate change and pandemics......»»
The US Inches Toward Building EV Batteries at Home
In an effort to reduce dependency on hard-to-source cobalt and Chinese manufacturing, US makers are finally getting into the cathode business......»»
A Project to Count Climate Crisis Deaths Has Surprising Results
Climate change is already killing people, but countries don’t have an easy way to count those deaths. A new project might change that......»»
Humanity Has Turned Land Itself Into a Menace
All of our meddling has primed Earth to collapse under cities and belch greenhouse gases, a nasty feedback loop that’s accelerating global warming......»»
Global Ship Traffic Could Imperil the Antarctic"s Biosecurity
Vessels from more than 1,500 ports have visited the region since 2014. Each one is a threat to introduce invasive species......»»
Is There Really Such a Thing as Low-Carbon Beef?
The USDA is making it easier for farmers to market their meat as “low-carbon.” Not everyone is happy about it......»»
How to Prepare for Climate Change"s Most Immediate Impacts
The effects of the climate crisis are happening right now. From natural disasters to supply chain shortages, here's how to cope......»»
An Injection of Chaos Solves a Decades-Old Fluid Mystery
In the 1960s, drillers noticed that certain fluids would firm up if they flowed too fast. Researchers have finally explained why......»»
Old Climate Clues Shed New Light on History
Historians are reexamining eras of social turmoil and linking them to volcanic eruptions, prolonged droughts, and other disturbances in the natural world......»»
Pregnant People Are Still Not Getting Vaccinated Against Covid
Misinformation and muddled public health messaging have failed expectant parents. Now Omicron's surge is putting both carriers and babies at risk......»»
The World Was Cooler in 2021 Than 2020. That’s Not Good News
The global temperature was down, thanks to La Niña, but it was still the sixth-hottest year on record. And 2 billion people had their warmest year yet......»»