All Stories
- Quantum Physics
LIGO will be getting a quantum upgrade
Quantum squeezing of light will help scientists make better gravitational wave detectors.
- Psychology
STEM professors’ beliefs on intelligence may widen the racial achievement gap
Seeing intelligence as fixed can result in lower grades, especially for certain minorities
- Earth
Muons reveal the whopping voltages inside a thunderstorm
Particle physics sheds new light on the electric potential of thunderstorms.
- Materials Science
A new insulation material is practically weightless yet still durable
Extreme heat and temperature swings are no match for this lightweight insulator.
- Climate
Climate change could increase foodborne illness by energizing flies
Warmer, more lively house flies could spread more Campylobacter bacteria by landing on more food.
- Animals
50 years ago, DDT pushed peregrine falcons to the edge of extinction
In 1969, peregrine falcons were at risk of extinction. But a ban on the pesticide DDT and new captive breeding programs allowed the raptors to recover.
- Life
Slow sperm may fail at crashing ‘gates’ on their way to an egg
A new study describes how sperm navigate narrow straits in the reproductive tract’s obstacle course to reach an egg.
- Planetary Science
After 15 years on Mars, it’s the end of the road for Opportunity
After 15 years of exploring Mars, a dust storm led to the demise of NASA’s longest-lived rover.
- Quantum Physics
Photons reveal a weird effect called the quantum pigeonhole paradox
Quantum particles seem to disobey a fundamental principle of mathematics.
- Tech
A new 2-D material uses light to quickly and safely purify water
A newly designed material uses only light to speedily remove 99.9999 percent of microbes from water.
- Earth
Greenland may have another massive crater hiding under its ice
There may be yet another large crater buried beneath Greenland’s ice sheet. But it’s probably not related to the first one found last year.
- Tech
Robots are becoming classroom tutors. But will they make the grade?
Educational robots show promise for helping kids in the classroom or at home, but researchers are still figuring out how these bots should behave.
