Notebook
- Space
Meet Porphyrion, the largest pair of black hole jets ever seen
The two plasma fountains, spanning 23 million light-years, could shape cosmic structures far beyond their home galaxy.
- Health & Medicine
50 years ago, some of plastic’s toxic hazards were exposed
Worker exposure to vinyl chloride became tightly regulated after the chemical was linked with liver cancer. Now, its use may be on the chopping block.
- Physics
Mayo is weirdly great for understanding nuclear fusion experiments
Mayonnaise’s texture is perfect for mimicking what a fusion fuel capsule goes through after it’s blasted with lasers.
- Microbes
A fluffy, orange fungus could transform food waste into tasty dishes
The fungus thrives on everything from soy pulp to bland custards, turning them into digestible foods with a surprisingly pleasant flavor.
- Health & Medicine
50 years ago, antibiotic resistant bacteria became a problem outside hospitals
Infections from drug-resistant bacteria have skyrocketed over the last 50 years. Now, new technologies could help doctors save lives.
- Health & Medicine
50 years ago, scientists blamed migraines on cheese and chocolate
Exactly how migraines develop is still coming into focus, but scientists now know that many factors can trigger attacks.
- Space
50 years ago, scientists were gearing up to hurl a probe at the sun
The Helios mission provided key insights into the sun. Now, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has taken up the mantle, giving scientists unprecedented views of the star.
- Agriculture
50 years ago, scientists ID’d a threat to California wine country
Fifty years after scientists identified the cause of Pierce's disease, which damages vineyards, there still isn't a cure.
- Earth
50 years ago, the sun’s influence on Earth’s lightning was revealed
The solar wind and sunspots seem to give lightning a boost. But exactly how solar activity stimulates strikes is an enduring mystery.
- Genetics
50 years ago, chimeras gave a glimpse of gene editing’s future
Advances in gene editing technology have led to the first successful transplant of a pig kidney into a human.
- Particle Physics
Scientists propose a hunt for never-before-seen ‘tauonium’ atoms
Made of heavy relatives of the electron, the exotic atoms could be used to test the theory of quantum electrodynamics.
- Health & Medicine
50 years ago, phantom pain was blamed on misfiring nerves
Researchers now know that the cause of post-amputation pain is more complex, which is leading to new treatments.
