All Stories

  1. Space

    Paradoxically, white dwarf stars shrink as they gain mass

    Observations of thousands of white dwarf stars have confirmed a decades-old theory about the relationship between their masses and sizes.

    By
  2. Health & Medicine

    Here’s what we know about Russia’s unverified coronavirus vaccine

    Despite incomplete testing, Sputnik V may be the first COVID-19 vaccine given to the general public, rolling out initially to teachers and doctors.

    By
  3. Science & Society

    A new Galileo biography draws parallels to today’s science denialism

    ‘Galileo and the Science Deniers’ delivers a fresh assessment of the life of a scientific legend and offers lessons for today.

    By
  4. Health & Medicine

    How two coronavirus drugs for cats might help humans fight COVID-19

    Scientists are exploring if drugs for a disease caused by a coronavirus that infects only cats might help also people infected with the coronavirus.

    By
  5. Cosmology

    Scientists can’t agree on how clumpy the universe is

    A measurement of 21 million galaxies finds a level of clumpiness that disagrees with estimates based on the oldest light in the universe.

    By
  6. A reader asks about coronavirus mutations

    By
  7. Neuroscience

    New guidance on brain death could ease debate over when life ends

    Brain death can be a tricky concept. Clarity from an international group of doctors may help identify when the brain has stopped working for good.

    By
  8. Oceans

    Species may swim thousands of kilometers to escape ocean heat waves

    A new analysis of ocean heat waves shows latitude matters when it comes to how far fish and other sea species must go to find cooler waters.

    By
  9. Anthropology

    Better playground design could help kids get more exercise

    Playgrounds designed for imaginative play can make a difference in how much kids move

    By
  10. Earth

    Predictions for the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season just got worse

    Wind patterns and abnormally warm seawater are conspiring to create especially hurricane-friendly conditions in the Atlantic.

    By
  11. Physics

    A new experiment hints at how hot water can freeze faster than cold

    A study of tiny glass beads suggests that the Mpemba effect is real.

    By
  12. Climate

    Emissions dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic. The climate impact won’t last

    New estimates suggest coronavirus shutdowns cut global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels by nearly 30 percent, on average.

    By