Topics

Chemistry

Old, plastic fishing nets being collected into a pile on a trailer.

Environment

Hawaii is turning fishnets and other plastic trash into roads

Scientists are testing whether plastic pollution from the ocean can be transformed into safe and durable highways.

By Sara NovakMay 29, 2026

Chemistry

Tabletop lightning helps make an alcohol used for fuels and more

By Stephen OrnesMay 26, 2026

Materials Science

Scientists Say: Metal-Organic Framework

By Katie Grace CarpenterMay 25, 2026

Earth

Oceans

Explainer: What are corals?

Though they can look like rocks or plants, corals are animals. Most are made up of colonies of individuals called polyps.

By Aaron Tremper13 hours ago

Environment

Hawaii is turning fishnets and other plastic trash into roads

By Sara NovakMay 29, 2026

Montage of illustrations showing various times in our planet's history, from its fiery origins, through the dawn of life, dinosaurs and, finally, the present day. The final image shows a skyscraper surrounded by rising waters with a silhouette of a black sun on a red sky, indicating the perhaps unprecedented effects of climate change.

Earth

How hot can our planet get? Earth’s climate history holds clues

By Elise CuttsMay 28, 2026

Humans

An illustration of echolocation where a person sends our a click and listen for the returned echo.

Humans

Some people use echolocation to get around. Here’s how it works

As expert echolocators make multiple clicking sounds, their brains process the echoes to help them perceive their surroundings.

By Nora BradfordJune 2, 2026

An image of two sides of a die from a early Native American culture

Archaeology

These 12,000-year-old Native American dice are the oldest in the world

By Rebecca DzombakJune 1, 2026

a closeup of a purple passionflower blossom

Health & Medicine

Teens invent first chewing gum to tackle anxiety

By Katie Grace CarpenterMay 22, 2026

Life

Oceans

Explainer: What are corals?

Though they can look like rocks or plants, corals are animals. Most are made up of colonies of individuals called polyps.

By Aaron Tremper13 hours ago

Numerous jars of varying sizes holding preserved animals sit on a shelf in the Smithsonian’s Museum Support Center

Life

Some of these Smithsonian secrets might just blow your mind

By Meghan RosenJune 4, 2026

Humans

Some people use echolocation to get around. Here’s how it works

By Nora BradfordJune 2, 2026

Math

A smiling teenage boy wearing a floral origami crane as a hat holds a geometric folded paper structure, with a Regeneron ISEF lanyard around his neck, posing against a concrete block wall.

Physics

Origami research takes top prize at 2026 Regeneron ISEF competition

The top three winners each won at least $80,000. Other teen finalists shared in more than $7 million in prizes at this international science fair.

By Katie Grace CarpenterMay 18, 2026

Brain

Brain scans offer clues to why math is harder for some kids

By Lily BurtonMay 1, 2026

Science & Society

Understanding algorithms — and how to make them work for you

By Wendy OrlandoApril 2, 2026

Physics

Chemistry

Tabletop lightning helps make an alcohol used for fuels and more

Methanol is used in plastics, paints and as a race car fuel. It’s been hard to make. But engineers have found a simple trick: Add lightning to methane.

By Stephen OrnesMay 26, 2026

Materials Science

Scientists Say: Metal-Organic Framework

By Katie Grace CarpenterMay 25, 2026

Many orange rings represent primordial black holes in an illustration

Physics

Exploding black holes could solve a big cosmic mystery

By Emily ConoverMay 21, 2026

Science & Society

Life

Some of these Smithsonian secrets might just blow your mind

Millions of treasures stashed in this museum storage site — open only to select visitors — tell the history of Earth's inhabitants.

By Meghan RosenJune 4, 2026

Archaeology

Physics

Chemistry

Tabletop lightning helps make an alcohol used for fuels and more

By Stephen OrnesMay 26, 2026

an Ai generated image of a tiger and a photograph of a tiger, side-by-side

Humans

Experiment: Can humans recognize AI-generated images?

By Science BuddiesMay 22, 2026

Topics

Hawaii is turning fishnets and other plastic trash into roads

Tabletop lightning helps make an alcohol used for fuels and more

Scientists Say: Metal-Organic Framework

Explainer: What are corals?

Hawaii is turning fishnets and other plastic trash into roads

How hot can our planet get? Earth’s climate history holds clues

Some people use echolocation to get around. Here’s how it works

These 12,000-year-old Native American dice are the oldest in the world

Teens invent first chewing gum to tackle anxiety

Explainer: What are corals?

Some of these Smithsonian secrets might just blow your mind

Some people use echolocation to get around. Here’s how it works

Origami research takes top prize at 2026 Regeneron ISEF competition

Brain scans offer clues to why math is harder for some kids

Understanding algorithms — and how to make them work for you

Tabletop lightning helps make an alcohol used for fuels and more

Scientists Say: Metal-Organic Framework

Exploding black holes could solve a big cosmic mystery

Some of these Smithsonian secrets might just blow your mind

These 12,000-year-old Native American dice are the oldest in the world

How pitchers rest between innings could save their arms — and stats

The lives of black holes, from birth to death

Exploding black holes could solve a big cosmic mystery

Do multiple universes exist?

Nature-inspired rocket-nozzle redesign stands by for liftoff

Tabletop lightning helps make an alcohol used for fuels and more

Experiment: Can humans recognize AI-generated images?

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

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