All Stories
- Computing
Rise of the botnets
Botnets are armies of connected, infected computers that attack websites and other online businesses. Some scientists have found ways to use connected computers for good, too.
- Health & Medicine
For coughing up phlegm, water is key
Patients with diseases like cystic fibrosis get lungs filled with sticky mucus. Adding water could be the key to getting that phlegm out.
- Health & Medicine
Explainer: The benefits of phlegm, mucus and snot
There are many types of mucus in the body. They might seem gross, but these gloppy goos are the first line of defense against infection.
- Animals
Some male hummingbirds wield their bills as weapons
The shape of some hummingbird bills may reflect a trade-off between drinking nectar and fighting off the competition.
- Health & Medicine
Friendly adults help teens stand up against bullies
In the movies, kid heroes often intervene to stop bullies. What makes that happen in reality? A good family life and trustworthy teachers can help.
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Scientists Say: Petrichor
There is no smell quite like that of fresh soil after a rainstorm. That smell has a name — petrichor — and scientists even know how it’s made.
- Fossils
This robot shows how an ancient creature might have walked
Scientists used fossils, footprints, a computer models and a life-sized walking robot to find out how an ancient creature moved.
- Climate
The many faces of snowstorms
There are many different types of winter storms. How do they work?
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- Health & Medicine
Easing test anxiety boosts science grades in low-income students
Giving lower-income students mental tools to cope with test anxiety boosted their science grades.
- Chemistry
This houseplant can clean indoor air
Houseplants may be able to help clean up polluted indoor air. Scientists gave this one a boost by givng it a gene from a rabbit.
- Materials Science
A self-cleaning glass keeps itself spotless underwater
Microscopic pancake-like structures keep dirt and oil from sticking to the surface of this self-cleaning glass.
