Devin Powell

All Stories by Devin Powell

  1. Paleontology

    Oxygen blew up ancient amoebas

    Single-celled creatures' size spiked as oxygen levels rose.

  2. Humans

    Columbus’ arrival linked to carbon dioxide drop

    The depopulation of the Americas due to introduced European diseases may have spurred Europe's Little Ice Age.

  3. Life

    Fossil moth reveals colorful hue

    Paleontologists deduce how ridges on the creature’s wings would have reflected light.

  4. Humans

    Surf zone study earns young scientist first place

    Top winners selected from 30 finalists who traveled to Washington, D.C., to compete in the inaugural Broadcom MASTERS program for middle school students.

  5. Space

    Cosmic acceleration discovery wins physics Nobel

    Three astrophysicists are honored for revealing the universe's accelerating expansion.

  6. Physics

    Sweet beams: Lasers to measure blood sugar

    Cutting-edge use of light might someday prove useful in gauging diabetics’ glucose levels.

  7. Trilayer graphene exhibits quantum effect

    Three could be the magic number for making spintronic devices from thin carbon sheets.

  8. Physics

    Neutrinos seen to fly faster than light

    Though few physicists expect it to withstand scrutiny, confirmation of the observation would shake physics to its core.

  9. Earth

    Nature’s crystal palace

    Slow-growing crystals formed over thousands of years in Mexico cave.

  10. Space

    Hints of dark matter reported, again

    European experiment sees some evidence for a heretofore unseen component of the universe.

  11. Physics

    Last Words

    Tevatron’s data may have more to say, even after the atom smasher shuts down.

  12. Earth

    Earthly riches heaven sent

    A period of heavy meteorite bombardment after Earth's formation may have peppered Earth's outer layers with useful metals.