Health & Medicine
Explainer: How the ears work
Most people probably think of their ears as the flaps on the sides of their heads. But there’s a lot of machinery inside that lets us hear our favorite tunes.
Featured Articles in this Issue
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Cover Story
As Yellowstone’s supervolcano slumbers, another big danger lurks
Superheated water beneath Yellowstone could fuel hydrothermal explosions with the force of an atomic bomb. And lessons from the past suggest they could happen today.
Explainer
Technically Fiction
Tech
Move over Iron Man, exoskeletons are getting real
Real-world wearable devices help people stay safe at work and accomplish everyday tasks.
Profile
Space
Jane Rigby helped make the James Webb telescope a superstar
The senior project scientist for the JWST, Rigby believes being part of the LGBTQ+ community has made her a better astronomer.
Features
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Here are 5 exoplanet mysteries the James Webb telescope could help solve
This space telescope could reveal much about the formation, makeup and evolution of distant exoplanets.
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As Yellowstone’s supervolcano slumbers, another big danger lurks
Superheated water beneath Yellowstone could fuel hydrothermal explosions with the force of an atomic bomb. And lessons from the past suggest they could happen today.
More Stories from the March 1, 2025 issue
- Microbes
More than 100 types of bacteria found living in microwave ovens
More than 30 microwave ovens were sampled in a range of different settings. The microbes in them included ones that can cause food poisoning in people.
- Space
Microscopic black holes may be flying through our solar system
These flybys could jostle the orbits of planets and satellites as teeny black holes whiz by us once a decade or so.
- Animals
To keep their pools clean, some tadpoles don’t poop for weeks
Eiffinger’s tree frog tadpoles store their solid waste in an intestinal pouch. This releases less toxic ammonia into their watery cribs.
- Earth
Thunderstorms churn up a ‘boiling pot’ of high-energy gamma rays
A thunderstorm seen in gamma ray vision plays out as a complex, frenzied lightshow above the clouds.
- Materials Science
Experiment: The surprising strength of eggshells
Architecture is full of arched doors, windows and other structures. But how strong is the natural arch of eggshells?
- Math
Math reveals how skateboarders can ramp up their half-pipe power
To pick up speed, half-pipe skaters pump — move between crouching and standing — as they roll. A new study shows the fastest way to the top.
