Physics
Static electricity is a mystery, and scientists are all charged up
Scientists are largely clueless about the origins of static electricity. A quirky group of researchers aims to change that.
Video
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
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- Space
These tiny swirls on the sun could trigger solar flares
Scientists have finally seen a long-predicted motion on the sun, and it may help explain explosive solar activity.
- Astronomy
New images reveal Betelgeuse’s buddy star
A century of hints has suggested the famed red supergiant had a star pal but seeing it amid Betelgeuse’s brightness has been hard — until now.
- Astronomy
What kinds of black holes exist — and how are they different?
Scientists have identified four types of black holes, classified mostly by their masses. But these mysterious objects continue to challenge our understanding of the universe.
- Animals
Watch an orca ram into a sunfish so hard it explodes
This strategy expands orcas’ already broad repertoire for dispatching different types of prey.
- Animals
This humpback whale hunting strategy has been out of sight — until now
Scientists documented humpback whales hunting together at the seafloor, coordinating their arrival to scoop up sand lances.
- Space
The 2024 New Jersey meteorite contains amino acids
The brine-formed meteorite that crashed into a New Jersey roof in 2024 could teach us about how life first arrived on Earth.
- Plants
Giant trees have tricks to work around drought
Samples collected at daring heights provide evidence for an untested theory of tree drought adaptation, while countering another.
- Life
The natural history of every U.S. state is on display at a new D.C. exhibit
The Smithsonian Natural History Museum’s latest exhibit, “From These Lands,” connects visitors with America’s natural history.
- Animals
A new species of walking shark has been found in Papua New Guinea
Walking sharks crawl on their fins across reefs and even out into tide pools. The newfound Dudgeon walking shark brings the known species count to 10.
