All Stories
- Neuroscience
Personalized brain stimulation can ease chronic pain
A week-long brain mapping session can lead to lasting relief, a case series of three pain patients shows.
- Neuroscience
Motor neurons don’t just move muscles. They may direct that motion too
A fruit fly study shows motor neurons do more than relay commands: They send signals back to the brain and organize movement sequences.
- Science & Society
Mysteries of the commonplace
Editor in Chief Nancy Shute reviews new research in static electricity and other science revelations in our September magazine issue.
- Earth
‘Thunderquakes’ do more than shake the ground — they map it
Scientists used fiber-optic cables to turn “thunderquakes” into underground maps that could help reveal hidden hazards beneath cities.
- Plants
Plants under attack leave behind a surprising call for backup
Bacteria may build a memory of herbivore attack in the soil and coax new plants to attract wasps to rein in destructive pests.
- Health & Medicine
Shock wave therapy for erectile dysfunction is on the rise
A sound wave–based therapy commonly used to dislodge kidney stones is gaining traction as a treatment for erectile dysfunction.
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Crossword: Lab Animals
Solve the crossword from our September 2026 issue, in which we celebrate some creature features.
- Humans
Why Epstein-Barr is the ‘everything virus’
The Epstein-Barr virus has taken a huge toll on global health. Understanding how it works could offer ways to combat multiple sclerosis, cancer and more.
- Life
Spikes, claws and stingers have no single best shape
A study of 143 piercing tools, from tusks to love darts, finds they trade off piercing ability for durability. And no one shape wins out.
- Health & Medicine
An unproven autism drug got a boost after a White House briefing
In fall of 2025, the Trump administration touted the drug leucovorin for autism therapy without new evidence. Dispensing of the drug to kids rose.
- Physics
Static electricity is a mystery, and scientists are all charged up
Scientists are largely clueless about the origins of static electricity. A quirky group of researchers aims to change that.
- Animals
A new documentary shows what growing up lion is really like
The thrilling National Geographic series, premiering August 19, follows Kio from lion cub to king.
