News

  1. Astronomy

    Gamma-ray bursts may repeatedly wipe out life

    Brief bursts of high-energy radiation may sterilize most planets across the universe, hampering the chances for widespread intelligent life.

    By Andrew Grant
  2. Planetary Science

    Solar wind probably leaches Mars’ lower atmosphere

    Initial results from NASA's MAVEN probe may help explain how Mars has lost its atmosphere: The solar wind penetrates the Red Planet’s atmosphere and fuels escaping gas.

    By Thomas Sumner
  3. Math

    Math to match pedestrian behavior is all about timing

    The best-ever simulation of pedestrians moving through a crowd relies on a new formula that encapsulates people’s ability to anticipate collisions.

    By Andrew Grant
  4. Life

    New tree of life confirms strange history of birds

    A genetic analysis supports some odd groupings in the bird tree of life, showing a lot of convergent evolution in avian history.