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Animals

Scientists Say: Caecilian

Some of these amphibians can produce a milk-like liquid for their offspring and give birth to live young. And those aren't the only rules these rebels break.

Planets

Pluto and its moon Charon may have paired up with a kiss

After about 30 hours of contact, Charon could have separated from Pluto and drifted into its current orbit.

Brain

Having sparse links in the hippocampus may maximize memory storage

Tissue from the memory centers of people’s brains reveal relatively few links among nerve cells in the hippocampus. But they carried strong, reliable signals.

Science & Society

Viewing math as a language might help it make sense to more of us

It might also reduce the anxiety associated with using math, allowing people to better answer a host of important everyday questions.

Earth

This long-buried glacier ice is at least 770,000 years old

Thanks to climate change, thawing permafrost in the Canadian Arctic has revealed this glacier remnant that could be more than a million years old.

Planets

A distant crumbling planet spills its guts

Based on the light being emitted by its shed minerals, astronomers can for the first time determine the internal composition of an exoplanet.

Animals

Tiger beetles weaponize sound to ward off bat predators

Some beetles make ultrasonic clicks that camouflage them as toxic tiger moths, warning hungry bats to stay away.

Math

Scientists Say: Dimension

The simple concept of dimensions has inspired sci-fi creators to wrinkle time and launch into hyperspace.

Animals

Analyze This: When do cats move like liquids?

Cats flow through narrow openings but hesitate before short openings. That may help them avoid unseen danger in the wild.

Math

His love of math led to a career in quantum computing

James Whitfield began his career when quantum computing was still in its infancy. Today, he’s helping to make it more accessible to educators, researchers and others.

Planets

So many wondrous moons — just a spaceship ride away

Scientists are studying extraterrestrial moons for clues to how planets form, how life began — and whether there’s life out there right now.

Materials Science

Experiment: How much water is needed to cook pasta?

In this cooking experiment, let’s find out if we can save time, energy and resources by boiling noodles in less water.