Year in Review
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Science & SocietyWhat will be the big science stories of 2019? Here are our predictions
From black hole insights to the future of self-driving cars to figuring out what it means to be human, 2019 will be a big year in science.
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Artificial IntelligenceArtificial intelligence is mastering a wider variety of jobs than ever before
In 2018, AI bested humans at following fauna, diagnosing disease, mapping the moon and more.
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Astronomy2018 was a busy year in space
This year, some missions started exploring the cosmos, while others were winding down.
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AstronomyThese 2018 findings could be big news — if they turn out to be true
Discoveries about fossils, the Big Bang and more could shake up the scientific world – if they turn out to be true.
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Science & SocietyThe #MeToo movement shook up workplace policies in science
In the #MeToo era, the scientific community is confronting its own sexual harassment problems and looking to research for solutions.
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NeuroscienceThe battle over new nerve cells in adult brains intensifies
It’s not yet time to abandon the idea that adult human brains make new nerve cells.
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Health & MedicineE-cigarettes caught fire among teens
High schoolers’ use of e-cigarettes shot up from 2017 to 2018, and public health officials are concerned that a new generation is at risk for nicotine addiction.
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ClimateHalf a degree stole the climate spotlight in 2018
Climate attribution studies and new data on global warming targets put climate change in the spotlight this year.
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GeneticsNews of the first gene-edited babies ignited a firestorm
A researcher in China announced he created two babies using CRISPR. Many scientists questioned the study’s ethics and medical necessity.
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GeneticsCrime solvers embraced genetic genealogy
DNA searches of a public genealogy database are closing cases and opening privacy concerns.
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Particle PhysicsNeutrino discovery launched a new type of astronomy
Particles associated with a blazar kick-start the field of neutrino astronomy.
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EarthGreenland crater renewed the debate over an ancient climate mystery
Scientists disagree on what a possible crater found under Greenland’s ice means for the Younger Dryas impact hypothesis.