Feature

Health & Medicine

Why sewage may hold the key to tracking diseases far beyond COVID-19

COVID-19, mpox and many other pathogens are detectable in wastewater, but public health officials are still figuring out how best to use those data.

Space

Clara Sousa-Silva seeks molecular signatures of life in alien atmospheres

Quantum astrochemist Clara Sousa-Silva studies how molecules in space interact with light, offering clues to what distant objects are made of.

Math

Here’s why mathematicians are so interested in cake cutting

The question of how to fairly divide resources attracts game theorists, computer scientists, economists, legal experts and more.

Neuroscience

Here’s what lucid dreamers might tell us about our sleeping minds

Lucid dreaming could prove to be a powerful tool for probing dreams, one of the most universal yet elusive human experiences.

Climate

How one device could help transform our power grid

As coal-fired power plants are retired, grid-forming inverters may be key to a future that relies on solar and wind power.

Astronomy

JWST’s hunt for distant galaxies keeps turning up surprises

In its first year, the James Webb Space Telescope has found many galaxies from the early universe that are bigger, brighter and more mature than expected.

Astronomy

Meet Jane Rigby, senior project scientist for JWST and advocate for LGBTQ+ astronomers

Rigby, senior project scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope, believes being part of the LGBTQ+ community has made her a better astronomer.

Archaeology

How an ancient solar flare illuminated the start of the Viking Age

Improved radiocarbon dating aided by a solar flare in the year 775 sheds light on the early days of Vikings and global trading in medieval times.

Physics

Centuries on, Newton’s gravitational constant still can’t be pinned down

A new experiment could finally answer the question 'What is the strength of gravity?' But it's a hard test to do.

Neuroscience

Elyse G.’s brain is fabulous. It’s also missing a big chunk

A new project explores interesting brains to better understand neural flexibility.

Earth

How Kenya is helping its neighbors develop geothermal energy

Renewable energy is crucial to halting climate change. In East Africa, the region’s geology makes geothermal energy a viable option.

Humans

Lauren Schroeder looks beyond natural selection to rethink human evolution

Paleoanthropologists studying the fossil record have long focused on natural selection, but other processes play a big role too.