Gabriel Popkin

Winter 2013-14 science writing intern

All Stories by Gabriel Popkin

  1. Math

    National Museum of Mathematics is antidote to math phobia

    New York's National Museum of Mathematics offers a physical, tactile, even rambunctious presentation of math.

  2. Oceans

    Deepwater Horizon methane lingered longer than thought

    Microbes may not have consumed methane from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill as fast as previously thought.

  3. Math

    The Improbability Principle

    The laws of mathematics and physics suffice to explain a world of coincidences, statistician David J. Hand argues.

  4. Astronomy

    Illuminating a dark universe

    The film "Dark Universe" compresses a century of discovery into a crisp, comprehensible half hour.

  5. Quantum Physics

    Major step taken toward error-free computing

    Physicists have achieved nearly perfect control over a bit of quantum information, bringing them a step closer to error-free computation.

  6. Climate

    Ocean bacteria may have shut off ancient global warming

    Ocean-dwelling bacteria may have helped end global warming 56 million years ago by gobbling up carbon from the CO2-laden atmosphere.

  7. Climate

    Cloudy forecast

    Over decades climatologists have grown more confident in their projections of the future impact of greenhouse gas emissions. But whether shifts in cloudiness will amplify global warming continues to vex researchers.

  8. Particle Physics

    Catching Particle Fever

    Interspersed with the plot of Particle Fever are artful explanatory animations and commentary by six articulate physicists. Through these characters, we learn that the Higgs is a stepping stone toward a deeper understanding of the universe.

  9. Earth

    Magma spends most of its existence as sludgy mush

    Volcanic magma may spend most of its time in a chunky state resembling cold porridge, a new study finds.

  10. Earth

    The Sixth Extinction

    On only five occasions in Earth’s long history has a large fraction of the planet’s biodiversity disappeared in a geological instant. But, journalist Kolbert reminds us in her new book, we are well on our way to making it six.

  11. Climate

    Weather patterns over Southern Hemisphere have a regular pulse

    Variations in energy and rainfall over the Southern Hemisphere follow a pattern that repeats every 20 to 30 days.

  12. Paleontology

    Rivers of rock and gas froze ancient animals in time

    Ancient Chinese fossil beds were preserved by high-speed rivers of volcanic rock and gas.