Feature

  1. Humans

    Venting Concerns

    Scientists have developed a code of conduct to guide their research and activities at hydrothermal vents.

    By Janet Raloff
  2. Humans

    Good Gone Wild

    New research shows that the ecotourism model of raising conservation awareness while protecting indigenous cultures doesn't always work out as planned.

    By Eric Jaffe

  3. Chemical Enlightenment

    After a 40-year hiatus, research on the psychedelic drug psilocybin indicates that it often triggers mystical and spiritual experiences in ordinary people, at least temporarily changing their lives for the better.

    By Bruce Bower
  4. Astronomy

    Temperamental Monsters

    A new theory suggests that many huge stars undergo outbursts during which they shed most of their mass late in life rather than doing it gradually over their 3-to-4-million-year lifetimes.