All Stories
- Chemistry
Lasers wrest oxygen from carbon dioxide
By zapping oxygen molecules off carbon dioxide, an experiment hints that Earth may have had breathable air long before the dawn of plants.
- Physics
Blue light-emitting diode earns three researchers Nobel Prize in physics
The invention of blue light-emitting diodes has been awarded the 2014 Nobel Prize in physics.
- Planetary Science
Sun may make most of the water on moon’s surface
A constant stream of particles from the sun bombarding the moon's surface may be the source of most lunar water.
- Anthropology
Mysterious foreigner may have ruled ancient Maya kingdom
Bone chemistry suggests one of the early rulers of the Maya kingdom Copan and his retainers had foreign credentials.
- Neuroscience
Neuroscientists garner Nobel for discovering brain’s ‘inner GPS’
Three researchers who found brain cells that allow rats to orient themselves in space have won the 2014 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine.
- Animals
‘Planet of the Bugs’ reveals the secrets to insects’ success
Entomologist Scott Richard Shaw explores the evolution of insects and how they came to rule the world.
- Animals
How a saber-toothed cat is like a can opener
A researcher argues that the saber-toothed cat’s teeth acted like an old-fashioned can opener.
- Neuroscience
Brain’s map cells win three scientists Nobel Prize
The discovery of brain cells that provide a sort of “inner GPS” has been awarded the 2014 Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine.
- Quantum Physics
Photons on roundabout route could get caught in action
Proposed twist on classic double-slit experiment could identify light that weaves in and out.
- Ecosystems
Help scientists find floating forests of kelp
By looking for signs of kelp in satellite images, citizen scientists can help researchers keep track of the world’s seaweed forests.
- Health & Medicine
Interactive map tracks obesity in the United States
An interactive online map illustrates the rise in U.S. obesity since 1990.
- Environment
Human ingenuity takes on Mother Nature in ‘The Big Ratchet’
Geographer Ruth DeFries explains how technological innovations have allowed humans to overcome environmental challenges throughout history.
