Notebook

Physics

A new device can produce electricity using shadows

Even under low light, this new technology exploits the contrast between light and shade to produce a current that can power small electronics.

Health & Medicine

Infecting people with COVID-19 could speed vaccine trials. Is it worth it?

To accelerate vaccine development, some experts argue we should purposefully infect volunteers with the coronavirus. Others warn of the risks.

Animals

New species of scaly, deep-sea worms named after Elvis have been found

A genetic analysis sheds new light on funky scale worms with glittery, scales reminiscent of sequins on the “The King’s” iconic jumpsuits.

Chemistry

Astronauts may be able to make cement using their own pee

Lunar dust and a compound found in urine could be used to build future dwellings on the moon, a new study finds.

Archaeology

50 years ago, explorer Thor Heyerdahl’s Atlantic crossing hit a snag

Explorer Thor Heyerdahl followed an aborted Atlantic voyage with a second trip that indicated ancient Egyptians could have traveled over long distances by sea.

Ecosystems

Tapirs may be key to reviving the Amazon. All they need to do is poop

Brazilian ecologist Lucas Paolucci is collecting tapir dung to understand how the piglike mammals may help restore degraded rain forests.

Physics

50 years ago, superconductors started feeling the pressure

Today, high-pressure superconductors are a hot topic. 50 years ago, scientists were just starting to explore the possibilities.

Paleontology

Deep caves are a rich source of dinosaur prints for this paleontologist

Several deep caves in France are proving to be a surprising source of dinosaur tracks.

Animals

Dancing peacock spiders turned an arachnophobe into an arachnologist

Just 22, Joseph Schubert has described 12 of 86 peacock spider species. One with a blue and yellow abdomen is named after Van Gogh’s Starry Night.

Environment

50 years ago, American waterways were getting more protections

A 1970 bill that became the Clean Water Act helped to double the number of U.S. waterbodies clean enough for swimming and fishing. In January, the U.S. administration changed how waters were defined, effectively removing those protections for half the country’s wetlands.

Life

Algae use flagella to trot, gallop and move with gaits all their own

Single-celled microalgae, with no brains, can coordinate their “limbs” into a trot or fancier gait.

Science & Society

The U.S. has resisted the metric system for more than 50 years

Australia adopted the metric system 50 years ago. The United States tried by passing legislation for a voluntary conversion that was largely ignored.