Skip to content

Subscribe today

Every print subscription comes with full digital access

All Topics
- Health
- Humans
- Life
- Earth
- Physics
- Space

Magazine
Menu
About
For Students
Our Store

Donate

Science News

INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM SINCE 1921 SIGN IN

Search

Science News

INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM SINCE 1921

All Topics
- Earth
- Humans
- Life
  - Animals
  - Plants
  - Ecosystems
  - Paleontology
  - Neuroscience
  - Genetics
  - Microbes
- Physics
- Space
- Tech
  - Computing
  - Artificial Intelligence
- Chemistry
- Math
- Science & Society
Health
Humans
- Humans
- Recent posts in Humans
  - Health & Medicine
    Vaccines, fluoride, raw milk: How RFK Jr.’s views may shape public health
    
    By Aimee Cunningham17 hours ago
  - Health & Medicine
    Youth tobacco use has gone down, but the work isn’t over
    
    By Aimee Cunningham21 hours ago
  - Health & Medicine
    Keeping weight off may be stymied by fat cells’ ‘memory’ of obesity
    
    By Erin Garcia de JesúsNovember 18, 2024
Life
- Life
  - Animals
  - Plants
  - Ecosystems
  - Paleontology
  - Neuroscience
  - Genetics
  - Microbes
- Recent posts in Life
  - Life
    Nature’s first fiber optics could light the way to internet innovation
    
    By Elie Dolgin19 hours ago
  - Neuroscience
    Some people don’t have a mind’s eye. Scientists want to know why
    
    By Laura SandersNovember 18, 2024
  - Oceans
    The world’s largest coral was discovered in the South Pacific
    
    By Nikk OgasaNovember 15, 2024
Earth
- Earth
- Recent posts in Earth
  - Oceans
    The world’s largest coral was discovered in the South Pacific
    
    By Nikk OgasaNovember 15, 2024
  - Health & Medicine
    22 pesticides show links to prostate cancer
    
    By Andrea TamayoNovember 14, 2024
  - Environment
    Fire-prone neighborhoods on the fringes of nature are rapidly expanding
    
    By Nikk OgasaNovember 8, 2024
Physics
- Physics
- Recent posts in Physics
  - Cosmology
    Einstein’s gravity endures despite a dark energy puzzle
    
    By Emily Conover10 hours ago
  - Particle Physics
    Accelerated muons bring next-gen particle colliders closer to reality
    
    By Emily ConoverNovember 12, 2024
  - Particle Physics
    Antimatter could travel by truck, a test with protons shows
    
    By Emily ConoverNovember 8, 2024
Space
- Space
- Recent posts in Space
  - Cosmology
    Einstein’s gravity endures despite a dark energy puzzle
    
    By Emily Conover10 hours ago
  - Planetary Science
    A first look at rocks from the lunar farside create a volcanic mystery
    
    By Lisa GrossmanNovember 15, 2024
  - Planetary Science
    Uranus may have looked weird when NASA’s Voyager 2 flew by
    
    By Lisa GrossmanNovember 11, 2024

Feature

Cosmic Chemistry

Share this:

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Pocket
Reddit
Print

By Science News

Magazine Issue: Vol. 150 No. #18, November 2, 1996

Having trouble viewing this? Open in a new window

Questions or comments on this article? E-mail us at feedback@sciencenews.org | Reprints FAQ

A version of this article appears in the November 2, 1996 issue of Science News.

We are at a critical time and supporting climate journalism is more important than ever. Science News and our parent organization, the Society for Science, need your help to strengthen environmental literacy and ensure that our response to climate change is informed by science.

Please subscribe to Science News and add $16 to expand science literacy and understanding.

Related Stories

Cosmology
Einstein’s gravity endures despite a dark energy puzzle

By Emily Conover10 hours ago
Health & Medicine
Vaccines, fluoride, raw milk: How RFK Jr.’s views may shape public health

By Aimee Cunningham17 hours ago
Life
Nature’s first fiber optics could light the way to internet innovation

By Elie Dolgin19 hours ago

Science News

Science News was founded in 1921 as an independent, nonprofit source of accurate information on the latest news of science, medicine and technology. Today, our mission remains the same: to empower people to evaluate the news and the world around them. It is published by the Society for Science, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education (EIN 53-0196483).

Science News Explores
Science News Learning

Subscriber Services

Subscribe
Renew
Give a Gift Subscription
Customer Service

Follow Science News on Facebook
Follow Science News on X
Follow Science News via RSS
Follow Science News on Instagram
Follow Science News on YouTube
Follow Science News on TikTok

More Information

FAQ
Newsletters
Rights & Permissions
Advertise
Contact

Society for Science

About the Society
Society Store
Donate
Careers

© Society for Science & the Public 2000–2024. All rights reserved.

1719 N Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 202.785.2255

Terms of Service Privacy Policy

Log in

Subscribers, enter your e-mail address for full access to the Science News archives and digital editions.

Not a subscriber?
Become one now.

Client key* E-mail Address*