All Stories

  1. Math

    Why sports are becoming all about numbers — lots and lots of numbers

    Sports once focused on muscles, skill and tactics. Now math is becoming almost as important. It helps assess players — and improve their tools.

    By Silke Schmidt
  2. Animals

    Traces from nuclear-weapons tests offer clues to whale sharks’ ages

    Traces left by nuclear-bomb testing in the 1950s and ‘60s can help researchers learn how old a whale shark is.

    By Maria Temming
  3. Animals

    Let’s learn about domestic cats

    Cats rule the internet — and many of our homes. To get here was a journey of many thousands of years.

    By Sarah Zielinski
  4. Fossils

    The challenge of dinosaur hunting in deep caves

    Spelunkers aren’t the only people to find caves interesting. So do paleontologists. Though getting to work may be harrowing, they find it’s worth it.

    By John Pickrell
  5. Animals

    Pesticides can have long-term impact on bumblebee learning

    Pesticide-laced nectar and pollen can permanently harm the brains of baby bumblebees.

    By Alison Pearce Stevens
  6. Space

    Scientists Say: Quasar

    This word describes the bright-shining core of a galaxy in which a supermassive black hole sucks in matter and releases a huge amount of energy.

    By Carolyn Wilke
  7. Climate

    Did rain put the Kilauea volcano’s lava-making into overdrive?

    Scientists share strongly conflicting opinions about why Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano spewed an overabundance of lava in 2018.

    By Megan Sever
  8. Animals

    Minecraft’s big bees don’t exist, but giant insects once did

    Big bees buzz in Minecraft. In our world, blocky bees might starve and be stuck on the ground. Yet long ago, giant insects did roam our planet.

    By Carolyn Wilke
  9. Physics

    Science offers recipes for homemade coronavirus masks

    New studies provide data on what types of mask materials protect best against the virus that causes COVID-19. They also point to the value of a really snug fit.

    By Kathiann Kowalski
  10. Health & Medicine

    Loss of taste and smell may be top indicators of COVID-19

    Loss of a sense of taste and smell are not just possible symptoms of COVID-19. A study now argues they may be among the most predictive ones.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  11. Materials Science

    Micro-barbs could make shots less painful

    A new type of microneedle design might take the sting out of shots and stick to the skin better than other approaches.

    By Stephen Ornes
  12. Earth

    Let’s learn about earthquakes

    Dozens of quakes happen every day, but most aren’t big enough for people to notice.

    By Sarah Zielinski