All Stories
- Artificial Intelligence
AI bots ignore evidence. Can we trust them with science?
Scientists rethink their ideas after experiments. AI agents struggle to learn from evidence and recognize when an idea is obviously incorrect.
- Space
Solar flares may show predictable warning signs hours before erupting
Scientists spotted patterns hours before a major solar flare, a discovery that could help forecast dangerous eruptions.
- Health & Medicine
Why is hantavirus so deadly? It’s not what you may think
Andes hantavirus causes deadly lung failure, but its method of attack differs from other respiratory illnesses. The details might inform future treatments.
- Animals
Even careful scuba divers can damage coral reefs
Hours of diving videos and hundreds of survey responses reveal the common diver mistakes that can cause irreversible reef damage.
- Science & Society
The science of us
Editor in chief Nancy Shute introduces a new social sciences column that explores what it means to be human.
- Physics
Physics explains why gold stays pristine
Metals like copper oxidize — reacting with oxygen in the air — but gold doesn’t, thanks to a quick switch in atom arrangement on its surface.
- Health & Medicine
Congo prepared for Ebola. Now a rare strain is exposing gaps in readiness
As Congo’s Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak grows, public health responders are turning to old-school tactics to fight it as scientists search for new tools.
- Health & Medicine
Ultrasound aimed at the brain offers new hope for Parkinson’s patients
A noninvasive treatment called high-intensity focused ultrasound helped relieve the shaking, stiffness and pain that accompany Parkinson’s disease.
- Science & Society
How house design can curb childhood illnesses in Africa
Experimental houses with screens, rainwater systems and ventilation reduced malaria, diarrhea and infections among children in Tanzania.
-
Math puzzle: The Ant Goes Marching
Solve the math puzzle from our June 2026 issue, where an ant navigates the surface of various objects to find the shortest path to her dinner.
- Health & Medicine
New tools may help diagnose Parkinson’s earlier than ever
From special pens to earwax evaluations, a plethora of emerging diagnostics could one day be a major boon for people with the debilitating disease.
- Archaeology
One mystery of the Great Pyramid’s longevity has finally been solved
Differences in how the pyramid and surrounding soil vibrate, along with design choices, have protected the structure from earthquakes.
