All Stories
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These lemurs take nose-picking to a new level
A nose-picking aye-aye’s spindly middle digit probably pokes all the way into the back of the throat, CT scans show.
- Agriculture
Native Amazonians make rich soils — and ancient people may have too
Modern Amazonians make nutrient-rich soil from ash, food scraps and burns. The soil strongly resembles ancient “dark earth” found in the region.
- Health & Medicine
Scientists Say: Kidney
The kidneys remove waste and excess water from the blood, forming urine.
- Physics
A powerful laser can control the paths that lightning takes
In a mountaintop experiment, a laser beamed at the sky created a virtual lightning rod that snagged several bolts.
- Psychology
There’s a real upside to knowing you could be wrong
We’re often certain that what we believe is true. But questioning those beliefs, as Galileo did, can help us learn better — and even perform better on tests.
- Animals
When it’s hot, echidnas blow snot bubbles to cool off
These spiky Australian mammals have a trick to moisten their noses, allowing them to survive hot temperatures that should kill them.
- Health & Medicine
Let’s learn about allergies
Allergies are caused by the body’s immune system overreacting to harmless substances.
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- Planets
Planets like Star Wars’ Tatooine could be fit for life
Like Luke Skywalker’s home, planets orbiting two stars may be plentiful. A new computer model suggests that many of those worlds could sustain life.
- Space
The next astronauts to walk the moon will be more diverse than the last
Space agencies are preparing to send the next generation of astronauts to the moon and beyond. Here’s how future crews will differ from the last.
- Health & Medicine
New brain scans may show if a concussion has not yet healed
Concussions change certain brain waves, and delta waves may be the best signs of when teens can return to competitive sports.
- Tech
Think of this new tech as sunglasses for our windows
Keeping buildings cool can use a lot of energy. Thanks to quantum computing, engineers designed a coating to cut the warming light that enters windows.
