All Stories

Plants

Plant and fungi parts help robots level up

Fusing machines with plants and fungi isn’t just sci-fi. A new generation of biohybrid devices could someday help in agriculture or energy production.

Health & Medicine

U.S. teen tobacco use has hit a record low

In 2024, tobacco use among middle- and high-school students reached a record low. But new vapes and nicotine-based products keep coming.

Brain

Scientists Say: Aphantasia

Not everyone has a “mind’s eye,” and that’s OK. Some people recall memories and process information in different ways altogether.

Computing

Explainer: What is the internet?

The internet is a massive structure made up of cables, routers, exchange points, data centers, cell towers, antennas and more. All sorts of devices share data using this network.

Brain

Ouch! The pain of pulled hair registers superfast

A hair pull is detected by a protein used to sense light touches. It also travels faster than most other types of pain.

Climate

Why is Los Angeles on fire?

High heat and little rain have extended wildfire season to year-round in some parts of California. Fast winds and dry conditions are fueling L.A.’s current infernos.

Space

The biggest discoveries of Voyagers — NASA’s most distant explorers

Voyager 1 and 2 left Earth in 1977 to fly by the outer planets. Nearly 50 years later, these spacecraft are still transforming our knowledge of space.

Psychology

Analyze This: Skipping through videos may increase boredom

Contrary to what people often expect, fast-forwarding or switching videos may leave viewers more bored and less satisfied.

Humans

 Is synthetic food dye bad for kids? Here’s what the science says

California is banning some food dyes in school meals. Though FDA says the dyes are safe, some studies show they may alter kids’ behavior.

Materials Science

This teen materials scientist wants to save the Great Salt Lake

Thermo Fisher JIC finalist Sophia Zhang investigated hydrogels that might conserve water in farming — a big stressor of the lake’s water supply.

Space

Let’s learn about the International Space Station

Astronauts on the space station have gathered data on everything from climate change to dark matter.

Earth

Scientists Say: Frost Quake

When wet soil abruptly freezes, it creates high pressure underground. When the pressure releases, it can trigger a mini-earthquake called a frost quake.