It’s a wonderful world — and universe — out there.

Explainers

Background pieces for a deeper dive into a broad range of pivotal topics

Animals
Explainer: Insects, arachnids and other arthropods

By Curtis SegarraJanuary 19, 2021
Chemistry
Explainer: Our atmosphere — layer by layer

By Beth GeigerDecember 1, 2020
Computing
Explainer: What is an algorithm?

By Melissa L. WeberNovember 12, 2020
Health & Medicine
Explainer: What is a spike protein?

By Tina Hesman SaeyNovember 10, 2020
Chemistry
Explainer: How photosynthesis works

By Bethany BrookshireOctober 28, 2020
Health & Medicine
Explainer: What is puberty?

By Esther LandhuisAugust 27, 2020
Physics
Explainer: Stars and their families

By Ken CroswellAugust 18, 2020
Explainer: What are logarithms and exponents?

By Bethany BrookshireAugust 12, 2020

Health & Medicine
Explainer: What are Antibodies?

By Avery Elizabeth HurtJuly 24, 2020
Brain
Explainer: How our eyes make sense of light

By Bethany Brookshire and Tina Hesman SaeyJuly 16, 2020
Physics
Understanding light and other forms of energy on the move

By Jennifer LookJuly 16, 2020
Physics
Explainer: Rainbows, fogbows and their eerie cousins

By Matthew CappucciMay 1, 2020