All Stories
- Archaeology
Pompeii’s survivors shine in a new documentary series
Hosted by actor Tom Hiddleston, Pompeii: Out of Time mixes facts and fiction to bring three real ancient Romans to life.
- Artificial Intelligence
AI ‘ghosts’ can comfort mourners — even when the bots get the facts wrong
A small study suggests emotional fit, not perfect accuracy, may make chatbot versions of dead loved ones feel real.
- Anthropology
In painted caves, ancient human DNA clings to the walls
Scientists recovered ancient human DNA from cave walls for the first time. Refined, the method could help link prehistoric paintings to their makers.
- Humans
Who owns your bones?
Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses the history of unethical practices in research on human remains and the progress toward more ethical standards.
- Health & Medicine
Inside the fight against the parasite Cyclospora
Parasite-induced cases of explosive diarrhea are sweeping the United States. Containing the outbreak won’t be easy.
- Tech
No, SpudCells aren’t alive. But they’re a step toward the first synthetic life
The lab-made cells open a window into what’s possible for synthetic life, researchers say.
- Anthropology
Many universities hold seized human remains. What should they do with them?
Biological anthropologist Fatimah Jackson is leading an effort to prevent history from repeating.
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Math puzzle: A sequence of odd events
Solve the math puzzle from our August 2026 issue, in which a family investigates an odd happening.
- Archaeology
Ancient Egyptian princesses knew their way around weapons of war
Analysis of six mummies from ancient Egypt challenges the idea that the bows and daggers buried with some royal women were merely ceremonial.
- Astronomy
This “exotic weirdo” exoplanet has a rocky surface and an atmosphere
Astronomers found a helium atmosphere around a rocky exoplanet — a good sign for the search for life outside the solar system.
- Genetics
Genes offer new clues to stopping Huntington’s disease in its tracks
A new generation of therapies aims to intervene at a recently discovered gap between the disease’s molecular march and its neurological consequences.
- Archaeology
An ancient Maya astronomer finally has a name
A Maya calendar formula bears the name Sak Tahn Waax, the first known Classic Maya mathematician-astronomer directly credited for such work.
