Uncategorized
- Physics
5 ways the heaviest element on the periodic table is really bizarre
Called oganesson, element 118 has some very strange properties, according to theoretical calculations by physicists.
- Plants
Ancient ozone holes may have sterilized forests 252 million years ago
Swaths of barren forest may have led to Earth’s greatest mass extinction.
- Health & Medicine
The small intestine, not the liver, is the first stop for processing fructose
In mice, fructose gets processed in the small intestine before getting to the liver.
- Animals
Trove of hummingbird flight data reveals secrets of nimble flying
Tweaks in muscle and wing form give different hummingbird species varying levels of agility.
- Neuroscience
The wiring for walking developed long before fish left the sea
These strange walking fish might teach us about the evolutionary origins of our own ability to walk.
- Neuroscience
Watch nerve cells being born in the brains of living mice
For the first time, scientists have seen nerve cells being born in the brains of adult mice.
- Materials Science
Smart windows could block brightness and harness light
A new type of material pulls double-duty as window shade and solar cell.
- Physics
50 years on, nuclear fusion still hasn’t delivered clean energy
In 1968, scientists predicted that the world would soon use nuclear fusion as an energy source.
- Astronomy
Readers ask about supernovas, dark energy and more
Readers had questions about a supernova that continuously erupts, the difference between dark energy and dark matter, and more.
- Science & Society
In play, kids and scientists take big mental leaps
Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill explores the science behind children's play and how kids like to mimic the same things adults do.
- Materials Science
Skyrmions open a door to next-level data storage
Skyrmions are tiny magnetic swirls that are hard to undo and may be perfect for miniaturizing electronics.
- Materials Science
Superdense wood is lightweight, but strong as steel
New superdense wood could be a more lightweight, environmentally friendly alternative to current construction materials.
