All Stories
- Archaeology
Neandertals may have built a hearth specifically to make tar
Findings from a cave in Gibraltar suggests Neandertals may have used complex fire structures to obtain adhesives from plants.
- Neuroscience
Electronic ‘tattoos’ offer an alternative to electrodes for brain monitoring
A standard EEG test requires electrodes that come with pitfalls. A spray-on ink, capable of carrying electrical signals, avoids some of those.
- Animals
Giant hornets have been sighted in Europe for the first time
Four southern giant hornets have turned up in Spain. Similar stingers, known for honeybee attacks, had the Pacific Northwest on edge a few years ago.
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Re-engineering where body meets machine
Editor in chief Nancy Shute dives into growing research efforts to re-engineer the body to improve how it interacts with prosthetic devices.
- Particle Physics
50 years ago, physics underwent a major revolution
The discovery of new subatomic particles cemented quarks as a cornerstone of the standard model of particle physics.
- Science & Society
A new biography of Benjamin Franklin puts science at the forefront
Richard Munson’s new book, Ingenious, shows how scientific research inspired the founding father’s diplomacy.
- Animals
Videos capture orcas’ tricks for taking down the largest fish on Earth
Citizen science videos document for the first time how orcas coordinate an attack against whale sharks.
- Anthropology
Footprints offer a rare look at ancient human relatives crossing paths
The imprints put flat-footed and arched-foot walkers together at a prime spot in East Africa.
- Space
What will it take to defend the world from an asteroid?
In How to Kill an Asteroid, Robin George Andrews looks at the successes and shortcomings of planetary defense.
- Health & Medicine
Sluggish proteins may underpin aging and chronic disease
Sticky, sluggish proteins with “proteolethargy” may be a common denominator underpinning life’s ailments.
- Health & Medicine
Cervical cancer deaths are plummeting among young U.S. women
A new study shows a steep drop in cervical cancer deaths among the first cohort of women who were eligible for the HPV vaccine.
