All Stories

Materials Science

A new graphene foam stays squishy at the coldest temperatures

Researchers have now made a material that is superelastic even at extremely cold temperatures, which could be helpful in space.

Genetics

How chemical exposure early in life is ‘like a ticking time bomb’

Some early life experiences can affect health, but only if unmasked by events in adulthood.

Science & Society

Why some low-income neighborhoods are better than others

Levels of violence, incarceration and lead exposure in a neighborhood can predict a low-income child’s future earnings and outcome, a study suggests.

Science & Society

Black hole image validates imagining the unimaginable

Human creativity conjured up the most extreme of astronomical phenomena long before they could be seen.

Planetary Science

Israel’s first moon mission lost moments before landing

The spacecraft’s engine cut out just before it was to touch down in the Sea of Serenity.

Astronomy

Meet one of the first scientists to see the historic black hole image

Kazunori Akiyama was one of the first scientists to see the black hole snapshot.

Health & Medicine

NASA’s Twins Study reveals effects of space on Scott Kelly’s health

Ten research groups studying the twin astronauts found long-term spaceflight can alter a person’s physiology and gene activity.

Health & Medicine

Ketamine cultivates new nerve cell connections in mice

In mice, ketamine prods nerve cells to connect, which may explain the hallucinogenic drug’s ability to ease depression.

Climate

Climate change made the Arctic greener. Now parts of it are turning brown.

Arctic browning could have far-reaching consequences for people and wildlife, affecting habitat and atmospheric carbon uptake as well as increasing wildfire risk.

Anthropology

A new hominid species has been found in a Philippine cave, fossils suggest

Cave fossils found in the Philippines come from a newly discovered member of the human lineage, researchers say.

Astronomy

How scientists took the first picture of a black hole

Here’s how scientists connected eight observatories across the world to create one Earth-sized telescope in order to create an image of a black hole.

Astronomy

All you need to know about the history of black holes

From dreaming up black holes to snapping the first picture of one, the history of black holes has had many twists.