All Stories
- Physics
Physics explains why gold stays pristine
Metals like copper oxidize — reacting with oxygen in the air — but gold doesn’t, thanks to a quick switch in atom arrangement on its surface.
- Health & Medicine
Congo prepared for Ebola. Now a rare strain is exposing gaps in readiness
As Congo’s Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak grows, public health responders are turning to old-school tactics to fight it as scientists search for new tools.
- Health & Medicine
Ultrasound aimed at the brain offers new hope for Parkinson’s patients
A noninvasive treatment called high-intensity focused ultrasound helped relieve the shaking, stiffness and pain that accompany Parkinson’s disease.
- Science & Society
How house design can curb childhood illnesses in Africa
Experimental houses with screens, rainwater systems and ventilation reduced malaria, diarrhea and infections among children in Tanzania.
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Math puzzle: The Ant Goes Marching
Solve the math puzzle from our June 2026 issue, where an ant navigates the surface of various objects to find the shortest path to her dinner.
- Health & Medicine
New tools may help diagnose Parkinson’s earlier than ever
From special pens to earwax evaluations, a plethora of emerging diagnostics could one day be a major boon for people with the debilitating disease.
- Archaeology
One mystery of the Great Pyramid’s longevity has finally been solved
Differences in how the pyramid and surrounding soil vibrate, along with design choices, have protected the structure from earthquakes.
- Health & Medicine
Screening all kids for type 1 diabetes can catch more cases early
Identifying children with early signs of type 1 diabetes makes a difference to their health. A new study suggests wider screening is effective.
- Animals
Seabirds weren’t fooled by a scarecrow-like buoy with rotating eyes
A tall buoy with a rotating pair of eyes was supposed to scare birds away from caught fish. Like scarecrows, it didn't work for long.
- Planetary Science
An ancient moonpocalypse may explain Neptune’s odd moon Nereid
Neptune’s oddball moon Nereid may be the sole remnant of an earlier system, formed near the planet rather than being pulled in from afar.
- Health & Medicine
How to scout a safe summer swimming hole
Best practices, including checking public E. coli reports and keeping your head above water can keep you safe while swimming.
- Oceans
The outlook for a climate-regulating ocean current is…not good
An ocean current called the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation will weaken by 50 percent by 2100. The question is what to do about it.
