Engineering Design
- Science & Society
A first: Commercial rocket takes humans into space
Two NASA astronauts aboard the privately built Crew Dragon capsule are the first to be sent into orbit from U.S. soil since 2011.
- Life
Planets with hydrogen skies could harbor life
Microbes can live in a hydrogen atmosphere. This points to new space worlds that host alien life.
- Earth
Fossil fuels appear to release far more methane than we thought
Ice cores reveal less methane than expected. This suggests today’s fossil fuel industry is responsible for nearly all of the methane emissions from natural sources today.
- Environment
CO2 emissions have nosedived as COVID-19 keeps people home
The COVID-19 pandemic restricted travel that can pollute the air. By April, travel-related daily emissions of greenhouse gases was back to 2006 levels.
- Chemistry
Ancient recipes helped scientists resurrect a long-lost blue hue
Led by medieval texts, scientists hunted down a plant and used its fruit to make a blue watercolor with mysterious origins.
- Health & Medicine
Sweat tech alerts athletes when to rehydrate — and with what
Technology shows how the body responds to moderate and vigorous exercise. That helps athletes stay healthy — and helps scientists understand why.
- Math
Why sports are becoming all about numbers — lots and lots of numbers
Sports once focused on muscles, skill and tactics. Now math is becoming almost as important. It helps assess players — and improve their tools.
- Animals
Traces from nuclear-weapons tests offer clues to whale sharks’ ages
Traces left by nuclear-bomb testing in the 1950s and ‘60s can help researchers learn how old a whale shark is.
- Animals
Pesticides can have long-term impact on bumblebee learning
Pesticide-laced nectar and pollen can permanently harm the brains of baby bumblebees.
- Physics
Science offers recipes for homemade coronavirus masks
New studies provide data on what types of mask materials protect best against the virus that causes COVID-19. They also point to the value of a really snug fit.
- Materials Science
Micro-barbs could make shots less painful
A new type of microneedle design might take the sting out of shots and stick to the skin better than other approaches.
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Climb like a slo-mo Spiderman using this super suction robot
A whooshing ring of water keeps the robot’s vacuum from losing grip, even on rough surfaces
