All Stories
- Science & Society
Readers respond to pesticides, Hawking radiation and more
Readers had questions about pesticides, Hawking radiation and the intersection of science and the public.
- Health & Medicine
Hurricane Maria killed at least 4,645 people in Puerto Rico, a study estimates
Researchers estimate Puerto Rico’s death toll from Hurricane Maria at more than 4,500 people based on household surveys — dwarfing the official count of 64.
- Astronomy
Astronomers scrutinized last year’s eclipse. Here’s what they’ve learned
Astronomers observed the 2017 total solar eclipse from the ground and the air, and found some never-before-seen features of the sun’s atmosphere.
- Genetics
The history of heredity makes for a fascinating, and chilling, read
From eugenics to gene editing, Carl Zimmer’s She Has Her Mother’s Laugh recounts genetics’ biggest discoveries.
- Health & Medicine
Keeping people within U.S. blood pressure guidelines saves lives
Big reductions in heart attacks, strokes and deaths may be possible under 2017 blood pressure guidelines.
- Particle Physics
Dark matter particles elude scientists in the biggest search of its kind
The XENON1T experiment saw no signs of hypothetical dark matter particles called WIMPs.
- Life
Skeletons come in many shapes and sizes
In Skeletons, two paleobiologists recount how and why skeletons evolved, as well as the variety of forms they take and the many purposes they serve.
- Astronomy
Pluto’s demotion ignores astronomical history
A historical review of asteroids’ planetary status suggests Pluto’s demotion was not justified.
- Health & Medicine
Even in the shade, a car’s interior can get lethally hot
A car’s interior can get lethally hot on summer days, even when it’s parked in the shade.
- Health & Medicine
Here’s what we know about the deadly Nipah virus
The deadly and rare Nipah virus has killed at least 11 people in southern India, causing concern among epidemiologists.
- Paleontology
How birds may have escaped the dino-killing asteroid impact
A tree-loving lifestyle became a risk for ancient birds in a world-changing catastrophe.
- Paleontology
The Chicxulub asteroid impact might have set off 100,000 years of global warming
About 66 million years ago, the Chicxulub asteroid impact set off 100,000 years of global warming, an analysis of oxygen in fish fossils suggests.
