Physics
- Chemistry
How to recycle ‘nonrecyclable’ plastics
A new process can convert some nonrecyclable plastics into a type that now can be reused. That could greatly cut down on wastes sent to landfills.
- Archaeology
Stonehenge enhanced voices and music within the stone ring
Scientists built a 'Stonehenge Lego' model in a sound chamber to study how sound would have behaved in the ancient stone circle.
- Space
Strange but true: White dwarfs shrink as they gain mass
Telescope observations of thousands of these stars now confirm a decades-old theory on how their masses relate to their waistline.
- Physics
The exotic ‘atom’ positronium surprises scientists
New measurements of a weird but simple atom, one without a nucleus, suggest it may have unexpected properties. Scientists find this troubling.
- Animals
Quacks and toots help young honeybee queens avoid deadly duels
It’s not just ducks that quack. Honey bees do it too. They also toot. Researchers eavesdropped on hives to find out why.
- Materials Science
Will bacterial ‘wires’ one day power your phone?
An accidental discovery helps scientists generate electricity out of thin —but humid — air with bacteria-made protein nanowires.
- Physics
Could ripples in spacetime point to wormholes?
A new calculation reveals that strange gravitational waves detected by LIGO and Virgo could see if a black hole were falling into a hypothetical tunnel in spacetime.
- Space
Milky Way’s tidal forces are shredding a nearby star cluster
The nearest star cluster is being pulled apart, due largely to the tidal forces of our galaxy, the Milky Way. Bye bye, Hyades!
- Physics
Explainer: Stars and their families
Most pinpoints that light the night sky are raging infernos we call stars. As adults, many will create new elements that they later cast off into the cosmos.
- Chemistry
Let’s learn about batteries
Many things in our lives rely on batteries. Here’s how scientists are working to make new ones — and make existing batteries safer.
- Physics
Flying snakes wriggle their way through the air
Flying snakes go tens of meters (yards) without wings. They do it by undulating back and forth and up and down, a new study shows.
- Physics
Scientists Say: Microgravity
Gravity is a force that brings objects together. But when those objects get far away, the force feels small. It feels like microgravity.
