Feature

  1. illustration showing rotting mean, fruit, vegetables and an animal carcass
    Anthropology

    A surprising food may have been a staple of the real Paleo diet: rotten meat

    The realization that people have long eaten putrid foods has archaeologists rethinking what Neandertals and other ancient hominids ate.

    By
  2. A photo of a city street with over large bits of microplastics overlaying the image.
    Health & Medicine

    Microplastics are in our bodies. Here’s why we don’t know the health risks

    Researchers are racing to try to understand how much humans are exposed and what levels are toxic.

    By
  3. photo of Wilfried Mutombo Kalonji looking at a slide under a microscope as another scientist stands in the background
    Health & Medicine

    Sleeping sickness is nearing elimination. An experimental drug could help

    Clinical trials of acoziborole are under way in sub-Saharan Africa, where sleeping sickness is endemic.

    By
  4. An overhead image of tomatoes in four crates.
    Agriculture

    Dry farming could help agriculture in the western U.S. amid climate change

    Some farmers in the western United States are forgoing irrigation, which can save on water and produce more flavorful fruits and vegetables.

    By
  5. An illustration of a shattered clock face with cogs, gears, bits of glass, and other parts scattered around.
    Health & Medicine

    Trauma distorts our sense of time and self. A new therapy might help

    The therapy has helped veterans struggling with mental illness imagine their future selves.

    By
  6. NASA Rover Perseverance takes a selfie on Mars
    Space

    What has Perseverance found in two years on Mars?

    NASA's Perseverance rover has turned up volcanic rocks, signs of flowing water and some of the materials necessary for life.

    By
  7. An illustration of a person's head in profile created with words.
    Health & Medicine

    A chemical imbalance doesn’t explain depression. So what does?

    The causes of depression are much more complex than the serotonin hypothesis suggests

    By
  8. A line of wind turbines disappearing into the distance with an out of focus wheat field in the foreground.
    Climate

    It’s possible to reach net-zero carbon emissions. Here’s how

    Cutting carbon dioxide emissions to curb climate change and reach net zero is possible but not easy.

    By
  9. a pile of hard disk drives on a white background
    Environment

    Recycling rare earth elements is hard. Science is trying to make it easier

    As demand grows, scientists are inventing new — and greener — ways to recycle rare earth elements.

    By
  10. A photo of China's maglev train as it comes into a station with several people standing at balcony of a nearby platform.
    Chemistry

    How rare earth elements’ hidden properties make modern technology possible

    Because of their unique chemistry, the rare earth elements can fine-tune light for many different purposes and generate powerful magnetic fields.

    By
  11. An aerial view of Mountain Pass rare earth mine in southeastern California,
    Earth

    Rare earth mining may be key to our renewable energy future. But at what cost?

    We take you inside Mountain Pass, the only rare earth mine in the United States.

    By
  12. A Black man looks out of an astronaut helmet with outer space in the background
    Space

    Artemis missions will usher in a new, more diverse crew of astronauts

    Space agencies are preparing to send the next generation of astronauts to the moon and beyond. Here’s how the next crews will be different from the last ones.

    By