All Stories
- Materials Science
Butterfly-inspired nanostructures can sort light
Scientists re-created a nanostructure found on butterflies that can separate out circularly polarized light, a characteristic that may be useful for telecommunications.
- Life
Scientists dig up proteins from the past
To learn how today’s proteins evolved, scientists are reconstructing ancient molecules.
- Climate
U.S. weather has gotten more pleasant, but will soon worsen
Warmer winters have made U.S. weather more pleasant since 1974 thanks to climate change, but that will soon change.
- Animals
Pandas have ultrasonic hearing
Giant pandas hear very high frequencies. Scientists still don’t know why.
- Animals
Animals get safe spots to cross the road — and car collisions drop
Over- and underpasses built for wildlife in Wyoming proved a success for both the animals and the humans traveling the roads.
- Astronomy
Young exoplanet found nestled close to its star
Scientists have found one of the youngest exoplanets ever, snuggled up close to its star.
- Earth
Plate tectonics just a stage in Earth’s life cycle
Plate tectonics is just a phase in a planet’s lifetime between conditions that are too hot or too cold for the planet-churning mechanism, new simulations suggest.
- Environment
Deepwater Horizon oil spill caused months-long ‘dirty blizzard’
Pollution from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill accumulated on the seafloor for months after the leak was patched.
- Neuroscience
Morphine may make pain last longer
Instead of busting pain, morphine lengthened the duration of pain in rats with a nerve injury.
- Science & Society
Biologist Kate Rubins’ big dream takes her to the space station
Molecular biologist Kate Rubins led a 14-person virology lab before becoming an astronaut. She heads to the International Space Station on June 24.
- Tech
Nanoparticles beat back atherosclerosis
Nanoparticles that find and destroy waxy plaques in blood vessels could be the next big treatment for heart disease.
- Earth
Pioneering geophysicist’s theory of peak oil still debated
The life of geophysicist Marion King Hubbert, creator of the “peak oil” prediction, was intertwined with the politics and science of the oil industry.
