All Stories
-
Quantum PhysicsRobert Redford film foretold Shor’s quantum computing bombshell
Twenty years ago, Peter Shor showed how quantum computers could break secret codes, turning the movie Sneakers from fiction to fact.
-
EarthHuge space rock rattled Earth 3 billion years ago
An asteroid almost as wide as Rhode Island may have plowed into Earth 3.26 billion years ago, leaving its mark in South Africa’s Barberton greenstone belt.
-
ComputingApp could cut jet lag short
A new app calculates lighting schedules to help travelers adjust quickly to new time zones.
By Meghan Rosen -
AstronomyNeutrinos from space rain down from all directions
Using Earth as a filter, scientists detect thousands of neutrinos from beyond the solar system.
By Andrew Grant -
PaleontologyLa Brea Tar Pits yield exquisite Ice Age bees
Ancient bee pupae snug in leafy nest give clues to Pleistocene climate.
By Susan Milius -
LifeAmoebas’ munching may cause diarrheal disease
Amoebas biting and swallowing pieces of human cells may be what causes amebic dysentery, a potentially fatal diarrheal disease in the developing world.
-
LifeMales compete all the way to sperm shape
An association between the ratio of certain proteins in mouse sperm and sexual competition raises many questions about what exactly gives a sperm a good head.
-
Quantum PhysicsSmall step taken for quantum communication
A single atom can change the state of a photon, which may help build quantum networks.
-
AnimalsSmall sperm whale species share a diet
Dwarf and pygmy species of sperm whales overlap in what they eat, and that could be a problem as the food web changes around them.
-
TechAtlantic razor clam inspires robot to dig deeper
A robot digs using the same method as the Atlantic razor clam.
-
CosmologySpeed of early universe’s expansion determined
The rate known as the Hubble constant is measured with great precision for the universe of 11 billion years ago.
By Andrew Grant -
AstronomyDiamond ring shape formed by dead and living stars
Abell 33 is a planetary nebula, the remains of a star, beautifully aligned with another star.