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Dead Sea Scrolls

The Dead Sea Scrolls contain genetic clues to their origins

Animal DNA is providing researchers with hints on how to assemble what amounts to a giant jigsaw puzzle of ancient manuscript fragments.

By Bruce Bower9 hours ago

ancient brachiopod illustration

Life

These tube-shaped creatures may be the earliest known parasites

By Jonathan Lambert9 hours ago

Map of the heart's 'brain'

A new 3-D map illuminates the ‘little brain’ within the heart

By Laura Sanders12 hours ago

Earth

Chicxulub collision put Earth’s crust in hot water for over a million years

By Carolyn GramlingJune 1, 2020

Space

A weird cosmic flare called the ‘Cow’ now has company

By Emily ConoverJune 1, 2020

Climate

‘Tree Story’ explores what tree rings can tell us about the past

By Carolyn GramlingJune 1, 2020

Coronavirus Outbreak

How coronavirus stress may scramble our brains

By Laura SandersMay 24, 2020

Earth
Chicxulub collision put Earth’s crust in hot water for over a million years

By Carolyn GramlingJune 1, 2020
Life
More ‘murder hornets’ are turning up. Here’s what you need to know

By Susan MiliusMay 29, 2020
Neuroscience
A new 3-D map illuminates the ‘little brain’ within the heart

By Laura Sanders12 hours ago
Archaeology
The Dead Sea Scrolls contain genetic clues to their origins

By Bruce Bower9 hours ago
Climate
‘Tree Story’ explores what tree rings can tell us about the past

By Carolyn GramlingJune 1, 2020
Health & Medicine
Is the coronavirus mutating? Yes. But here’s why you don’t need to panic

By Erin Garcia de JesusMay 26, 2020
Space
A weird cosmic flare called the ‘Cow’ now has company

By Emily ConoverJune 1, 2020
Genetics
Genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s also raise the risk of getting COVID-19

By Tina Hesman SaeyMay 29, 2020

The Coronavirus Outbreak

woman working in a lab

As we wait for a vaccine, here’s a snapshot of potential COVID-19 treatments

Though a vaccine remains the ultimate goal, researchers are on the hunt for new ways to treat COVID-19.

By Tina Hesman SaeyMay 20, 2020
How fear and anger change our perception of coronavirus risk
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From the Archives

Life Studies Flow from Live Volcanoes

April 25, 1970 Vol. 97 No. #17

Science News Magazine

cover of May 9, 2020 magazine issue

May 9, 2020 Vol. 197 No. 9

Featured Media

Element character illustration

Here’s how the periodic table gets new elements

Today’s scientists keep adding to the periodic table. But an element has to earn its spot.

Asian small-clawed otter

Why otters ‘juggle’ rocks is still a mystery

illustration of people in the United States

How the U.S. census has measured race over 230 years

mini Mars rover

Wiggling wheels could keep future rovers trucking in loose lunar soil

wok with fried rice

How to make the best fried rice, according to physics

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More Stories

Life

More ‘murder hornets’ are turning up. Here’s what you need to know

By Susan MiliusMay 29, 2020
Neon colors may help some corals stage a comeback from bleaching

By Carolyn WilkeMay 29, 2020
Pollen-deprived bumblebees may speed up plant blooming by biting leaves

By Susan MiliusMay 21, 2020

Humans

Births in the United States have dropped to a 34-year low

By Aimee CunninghamMay 20, 2020
Malaria parasites may have their own circadian rhythms

By Jake BuehlerMay 14, 2020
A gene variant partly explains why Peruvians are among the world’s shortest people

By Tina Hesman SaeyMay 13, 2020

Climate

How more powerful Pacific cyclones may be fueling global warming

By Carolyn GramlingMay 28, 2020
Daily global CO₂ emissions dropped dramatically as COVID-19 kept people home

By Carolyn GramlingMay 19, 2020
These 6 books explore climate change science and solutions

By Science News StaffMay 15, 2020

Astronomy

The oldest disk galaxy yet found formed more than 12 billion years ago

By Lisa GrossmanMay 20, 2020
The sun is less magnetically active than similar stars, and we don’t know why

By Lisa GrossmanApril 30, 2020
A century ago, astronomy’s Great Debate foreshadowed today’s view of the universe

By Tom SiegfriedApril 24, 2020

Physics

A star shredded by a black hole may have spit out an extremely energetic neutrino

By Emily ConoverMay 26, 2020
Physicists have found a way to foil a classic oobleck science trick

By Emily ConoverMay 8, 2020
50 years ago, superconductors started feeling the pressure

By Emily ConoverMay 1, 2020

Health & Medicine

Wastewater could provide up to a week of warning for a COVID-19 spike

By Erin Garcia de JesusMay 28, 2020
Infecting people with COVID-19 could speed vaccine trials. Is it worth it?

By Jonathan LambertMay 27, 2020
Is the coronavirus mutating? Yes. But here’s why you don’t need to panic

By Erin Garcia de JesusMay 26, 2020

Earth

Up to 220 million people globally may be at risk of arsenic-contaminated water

By Carolyn GramlingMay 21, 2020
Long-dormant volcano Mauna Kea has been quietly grumbling for decades

By Carolyn GramlingMay 14, 2020
Deadly temperatures expected to arrive later this century are already here

By Jonathan LambertMay 8, 2020

Science & Society

Scientists sometimes conceal a lack of knowledge with vague words

By Tom SiegfriedMay 22, 2020
Past plagues offer lessons for society after the coronavirus pandemic

By Bruce BowerMay 18, 2020
How materials science has changed humankind — for better and worse

By Emily ConoverApril 10, 2020