All Stories by Matthew Cappucci
- Physics
Explainer: Rainbows, fogbows and their eerie cousins
Light shining through a water droplet can make more than just a rainbow. A range of other colorful arcs also can develop.
- Physics
How to temporarily ‘fossilize’ a soap bubble
Here’s how to freeze a soap bubble in midair. Warning: The environment needs to be frosty, and even then it can take a certain amount of trial and error.
- Space
Explainer: Understanding meteors and meteor showers
Meteors regularly enter Earth’s atmosphere. Most ‘shooting stars’ pose few risks to life on the ground, but the rare big ones can be lethal.
- Climate
Explainer: Why some clouds glow in the dark
A surprise space rock lit up the night sky over California — and left behind a rare type of cloud. Such glowing beauties may become more common with climate change.
- Earth
Holiday fireworks can bring extreme pollution, India finds
Fireworks bring sparkle and zing to a celebration, but they also can have a dark side — unhealthy levels of air pollution.
- Climate
The many faces of snowstorms
There are many different types of winter storms. How do they work?
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- Climate
Supercell: It’s the king of thunderstorms
Not every thunderstorm has the potential to give birth to a tornado. It usually takes this special type.
- Climate
Distant volcano could turn latest lunar eclipse dark red
The recent eruption of Anak Krakatau, an Indonesian volcano, could alter the color of this coming weekend’s lunar eclipse.
- Science & Society
Catch a ‘shooting star’ this month — and most others
The Geminid meteor shower is underway. Here’s how you can enjoy this amazing show in the night sky.
- Climate
California’s Carr Fire spawned a true fire tornado
On July 23, an innocuous spark grew into California’s deadly Carr Fire. Three days later, it unleashed a lethal fire tornado.
- Climate
Eastern Pacific records its most energetic hurricane season
The eastern Pacific Ocean has been cranking out storms. Now it’s reached its most active season on record.
