All Stories
- Plants
Plants under attack leave behind a surprising call for backup
Bacteria may build a memory of herbivore attack in the soil and coax new plants to attract wasps to rein in destructive pests.
- Health & Medicine
Shock wave therapy for erectile dysfunction is on the rise
A sound wave–based therapy commonly used to dislodge kidney stones is gaining traction as a treatment for erectile dysfunction.
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Crossword: Lab Animals
Solve the crossword from our September 2026 issue, in which we celebrate some creature features.
- Humans
Why Epstein-Barr is the ‘everything virus’
The Epstein-Barr virus has taken a huge toll on global health. Understanding how it works could offer ways to combat multiple sclerosis, cancer and more.
- Life
Spikes, claws and stingers have no single best shape
A study of 143 piercing tools, from tusks to love darts, finds they trade off piercing ability for durability. And no one shape wins out.
- Health & Medicine
An unproven autism drug got a boost after a White House briefing
In fall of 2025, the Trump administration touted the drug leucovorin for autism therapy without new evidence. Dispensing of the drug to kids rose.
- Physics
Static electricity is a mystery, and scientists are all charged up
Scientists are largely clueless about the origins of static electricity. A quirky group of researchers aims to change that.
- Animals
A new documentary shows what growing up lion is really like
The thrilling National Geographic series, premiering August 19, follows Kio from lion cub to king.
- Astronomy
A record-breaking star could reveal how the Milky Way’s giant black hole spins
The star passes very close to the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole and could reveal the black hole’s spin by tracking how it warps the star’s orbit.
- Health & Medicine
No refrigerator, no problem. This experimental vaccine doesn’t need it.
In early trials, a new vaccine that didn’t require refrigeration still protected against tetanus and diphtheria.
- Animals
Shrews’ noses grow in winter as their brains shrink
Long-clawed shrews’ snouts temporarily grow larger in the winter. This skull reshaping may be an extreme survival strategy in cold conditions.
- Health & Medicine
What Spider-Man gets right — and wrong — about turning off superpowers
In 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day,' Peter Parker devises a superpower inhibitor based on a real therapy using RNA.
