All Stories
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ChemistryBig rock candy science
Instructions for making your own rock candy say to dip your stick or string in sugar before putting it in your sugar solution. Does that matter?
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AnimalsBee parasite is more werewolf than vampire
Inventing fake bee larvae prompts scientists to rethink how a mite — ominously named Varroa destructor — does its damage.
By Susan Milius -
ClimateScientists Say: Waterspout
A whirlwind over land is just a whirlwind. But over water, a whirlwind becomes a waterspout.
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EarthEarth’s core may have hardened just in time to save planet’s magnetic field
Earth’s inner core began to solidify within the past 565 million years, a study finds. That could explain why the planet’s magnetic field did not collapse.
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ChemistryShell shocked: Emerging impacts of our acidifying seas
As Earth’s climate changes, the oceans are becoming more acidic. Here’s how oysters and reefs are responding to their acidifying bath.
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AnimalsOcean acidification may ground swimming skates
Fish might seem immune to acidic waters, but check their skeletons. They can be vulnerable and eventually alter how fish behave.
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AnimalsIs ocean acidification knocking the scents out of salmon?
In more acidic water, salmon don’t seem to recognize the smell of danger. Will their populations take a nosedive as carbon-dioxide levels rise?
By Beth Geiger -
AnimalsAnimal graveyard found in deeply buried Antarctic lake
Mud from Antarctica’s Lake Mercer surprised scientists with what appeared to be the carcasses of tiny animals. A neighboring lake had only microbes.
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AnimalsA Bolivian frog species returns from the dead
A Bolivian frog was missing in the wild for 10 years. Scientists feared chytrid fungus had driven the frog extinct. Then they found 5 survivors.
By Jeremy Rehm -
Materials ScienceHow to turn a greenhouse into a powerhouse
See-through solar cells could turn greenhouses into solar power plants.
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Scientists Say: Gyroscope
Gyroscopes are devices that measure the three-dimensional orientation of an object. They can be found in objects as varied as smartphones and space telescopes.
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ClimateEarth’s permafrost is heating up
Climate change is warming Earth’s permafrost — and in some places thawing it. This could lead to massive releases of planet-warming greenhouse gases.
By Sid Perkins