All Stories by Maria Temming
- Astronomy
Heavy metal may rain from the skies of planet WASP 76b
Astronomers saw hints of iron rain on an ultrahot gas giant, an exoplanet where starlike atmospheric temperatures drive weird weather.
- Chemistry
Thirdhand smoke wafting off moviegoers hurts air quality in theaters
Nonsmoking theaters can still get exposed to cigarette-related pollutants carried in on audience members’ bodies and clothing.
- Chemistry
Evaporating mixtures of two liquids create hypnotic designs
Through the magic of surface tension, mixtures of two liquids form fingerlike protrusions and other patterns as droplets evaporate.
- Climate
Ordering from a local store can curb online shopping’s CO₂ emissions
Online shopping isn’t necessarily better for the environment than going to the store in person, a new study finds.
- Climate
Climate change is slowly drying up the Colorado River
Annual water flow in the Colorado River decreased by over 11 percent due to warming in the 20th century, a new study estimates.
- Computing
AI can predict which criminals may break laws again better than humans
Computer algorithms are better than people at forecasting recidivism, at least in some situations, a new study finds.
- Oceans
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill spread much farther than once thought
Computer simulations reveal the full extent of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
- Tech
The U.S. power grid desperately needs upgrades to handle climate change
The climate is changing faster than the U.S. power grid is adapting. Smarter grids and smaller grids could help.
- Earth
Here are 5 of the weirdest auroras, including the newly spotted ‘dunes’
A newfound type of aurora dubbed the “dunes” joins the ranks of black auroras, STEVE and other obscure auroral phenomena.
- Materials Science
The containers the U.S. plans to use for nuclear waste storage may corrode
The different components of a nuclear waste storage unit start to corrode each other when wet, new lab experiments show.
- Ecosystems
Fewer worms live in mud littered with lots of microplastics
The environmental effects of microplastic pollution are still hazy, but new long-term, outdoor experiments could help clear matters up.
- Chemistry
How to brew a better espresso, according to science
To make more consistent and affordable espresso shots, use fewer beans and grind them more coarsely, a new study says.
