Earth
- Animals
Explainer: What is a shark?
These fish have skeletons made of cartilage, not bone — and aren’t nearly as scary as portrayed in the media.
- Animals
A shark encounter inspired this researcher’s career in marine biology
Heidy Martinez never wanted to study sharks as a kid. That changed after encountering a white shark in South Africa.
- Environment
See how aerosols fly through Earth’s skies
These small airborne particles may offset one-third of human-caused climate warming. But the cooling influence of aerosols is fading.
- Earth
This ‘megaflash’ is now the longest lightning bolt on record
A reanalysis of satellite data showed that a 2017 Texas-to-Missouri lightning megaflash stretched 829 kilometers (515 miles) and lasted 7.39 seconds.
- Earth
Let’s learn about rivers
Rivers vary a lot in size and terrain, but all share a few basic features.
- Environment
Watch out: Hail can get really big!
New data from hailstones suggest most of these icy chunks may not form the way scientists long thought.
- Health & Medicine
New study links chemical in plastics to fatal heart disease
More than one in eight deaths from heart disease in older adults is being linked to DEHP. The plastic chemical appears to play a role in many other health issues, too.
- Environment
Scientists Say: Steppe
Expansive, windswept grasslands offer ample grazing for roaming herd animals and more.
- Chemistry
Newfound ‘anti-spice’ compounds tame chili peppers’ heat
Five compounds make some chili peppers taste less spicy than others. Scientists are still figuring out why.
- Physics
Here’s how rainwater might one day power some of your lights
In tests, the electricity that water droplets made was small, but kept a dozen LEDs lit. This tech might one day power clean energy for wet or rainy places.
- Earth
Scientists Say: Heat dome
Typically, weather enters an area, storms through, then leaves. Here's what happens when steamy summer air gets stalled.
- Animals
Whale pee is an ocean bounty
Some migrating cetaceans move thousands of miles to their breeding grounds, where whale urine fertilizes ocean waters with valuable nutrients.
