Feature
- Agriculture
How does a crop’s environment shape a food’s smell and taste?
Scientific explorations of terroir — the soil, climate and orientation in which crops grow — hint at influences on flavors and aromas.
- Computing
How next-gen computer generated maps detect partisan gerrymandering
The U.S. census will trigger a new round of redistricting beginning in 2021. Researchers have developed numerous tests to identify gerrymandering.
- Humans
Puberty can repair the brain’s stress responses after hardship early in life
Puberty may erase the shadow of trauma for children who had a difficult start.
- Earth
Improved three-week weather forecasts could save lives from disaster
Meteorologists are pushing to make forecasts good enough to fill the gap between short-term and seasonal.
- Psychology
Why do we miss the rituals put on hold by the COVID-19 pandemic?
Even solitary rituals bind us to our groups and help calm anxieties. What happens when those traditions are upended?
- Anthropology
Better playground design could help kids get more exercise
Playgrounds designed for imaginative play can make a difference in how much kids move
- Ecosystems
To save Appalachia’s endangered mussels, scientists hatched a bold plan
Biologists have just begun to learn whether their bold plan worked to save the golden riffleshell, a freshwater mussel teetering on the brink of extinction.
- Planetary Science
NASA’s Perseverance rover will seek signs of past life on Mars
NASA’s Perseverance rover will collect rocks and search for past life on Mars using lasers and zoomable cameras among other instruments.
- Space
What will astronauts need to survive the dangerous journey to Mars?
Going to Mars, astronauts will need protections from microgravity and radiation, plus miniature medical devices to diagnose problems and help handle emergencies.
- Planetary Science
How upcoming missions to Mars will help predict its wild dust storms
Predicting the weather on Mars is essential for landing and keeping rovers — or astronauts — safe on the surface. The next Mars missions will give forecasts a boost.
- Quantum Physics
To live up to the hype, quantum computers must repair their error problems
Before quantum computers can reach their potential, scientists will need to master quantum error correction.
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Special Report: Fighting the Virus
This special report investigates what it will take to regain some sense of normalcy: Safe and effective treatments and a vaccine, along with testing and contact-tracing systems.
