All Stories
- Psychology
Big ears don’t necessarily come with baggage
In a small study, adults judged children and teens with big ears as intelligent and likable.
- Planetary Science
Before moon landings, scientists thought dust or crust might disrupt touchdown
Moon dust didn’t swallow spacecraft as was suggested in the 1960s. Successful exploration since that has changed our view of the moon.
- Science & Society
Expedition’s plants illustrated, build your own robot, and more
Three museum exhibits allow visitors to explore 18th century botanical art, natural disasters and robots.
- Animals
Tales of the bedbug, one of the world’s most reviled insects
‘Infested’ captivates with stories about the bloodsucking insects. Resurgent in many areas in the United States, bedbugs are the fastest-growing moneymaker in pest control.
By Sid Perkins - Neuroscience
Sky’s brilliant hues may help bodies keep time
The internal clocks of mice are sensitive to changes in the sky’s colors. Humans’ clocks may work similarly, offering a tool to trump jet lag.
- Environment
Natural acids in soil could protect rice from toxic nanoparticles
A common component of dirt makes toxic copper oxide nanoparticles less harmful to rice plants.
By Beth Mole - Climate
The greatest natural disaster that almost was
The public’s response to the widest tornado ever recorded suggests earlier warnings need to be done right.
- Climate
Weather forecasting is getting a high-speed makeover
Meteorologists are throwing new technology at the problem of weather forecasting to provide faster and more precise predictions of the coming weather.
- Neuroscience
Being watched can boost productivity
In the company of another, a monkey steps up production on a simple job.
- Climate
Onshore hurricanes in a slump
No major hurricanes have made landfall in the United States for over nine years. That’s a rare occurrence, new research shows.
- Environment
Low levels of lead linked to lower test scores in children
A large study in grade-school children finds that even low blood levels of lead may be associated with poor school performance.
By Beth Mole - Astronomy
A look back in time reveals Milky Way’s evolution
A sample of galaxies covering 11 billion years of cosmic history helps astronomers document how the Milky Way evolved.