Science & Society
- Science & Society
Old periodic table could resolve today’s element placement dispute
A little-known genius figured out where all the elements in the periodic table should be placed long before some of them were discovered.
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- Chemistry
Shipwrecked bubbly gives chemists a taste of the past
Champagne preserved at the bottom of the Baltic Sea for 170 years has given chemists a glimpse of past winemaking methods.
- Plants
Bits of bacterial DNA naturally lurk inside sweet potatoes
Samples of cultivated sweet potatoes worldwide carry DNA from Agrobacterium cousin of bacterium used for GMOs.
- Planetary Science
Before moon landings, scientists thought dust or crust might disrupt touchdown
Moon dust didn’t swallow spacecraft as was suggested in the 1960s. Successful exploration since that has changed our view of the moon.
- Science & Society
Expedition’s plants illustrated, build your own robot, and more
Three museum exhibits allow visitors to explore 18th century botanical art, natural disasters and robots.
- Animals
Tales of the bedbug, one of the world’s most reviled insects
‘Infested’ captivates with stories about the bloodsucking insects. Resurgent in many areas in the United States, bedbugs are the fastest-growing moneymaker in pest control.
- Science & Society
Unbiased computer confirms media bias
A computer algorithm can identify a media outlet’s bias just by the quotes it chooses from political speeches, surrounding context aside.
- Plants
Plants suck in nicotine from nearby smokers
Peppermint plants can build up nicotine from tobacco dropped on their soil or smoked indoors.
- Science & Society
The Angelina effect should be about knowing your cancer risk
Angelina Jolie’s public message about her medical decisions related to cancer is about knowing your risks for disease, not hers.
- Science & Society
Top 10 science anniversaries of 2015
From genes and dreams to gravity and Kevlar, 2015 offers plenty to celebrate.
- Animals
Dealing with droughts, museums going digital and more reader feedback
Readers share their experiences with dry weather in the U.S., discuss how humans mentally sort quantities and more.
