Science & Society
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Astronomy
Here’s what the Science News family did for the eclipse
On August 21, 2017, the path of a total solar eclipse went coast to coast across the United States. Here are our dispatches.
- Science & Society
On social media, privacy is no longer a personal choice
Data from the now-defunct social platform Friendster show that even people not on social media have predictable qualities.
- Life
‘Darwin’s Backyard’ chronicles naturalist’s homespun experiments
In the new book Darwin’s Backyard, a biologist explores Charles Darwin’s family life, as well as four decades’ worth of his at-home experiments.
- Science & Society
Patience is one virtue scientists must embrace
Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill discusses how being patient isn't always easy in scientific work.
- Science & Society
Today is the day! A last-minute guide for watching the Great American Eclipse
You’ve probably heard this already, but there’s a total solar eclipse traversing the United States today, August 21. Here’s what you need to know.
- Astronomy
Eclipse watchers will go after the biggest solar mystery: Why is the corona so hot?
Usually when you move away from a heat source, it gets cooler. Not so in the sun’s atmosphere.
- Astronomy
Does the corona look different when solar activity is high versus when it’s low?
Carbondale, Ill., will get two eclipses in a row, seven years apart — making it the perfect spot to watch the solar cycle in action.
- Astronomy
Where does the solar wind come from? The eclipse may offer answers
A quick-fire polarization camera should help scientists detect the origins of the solar wind during the Aug. 21 eclipse.
- Astronomy
Eclipses show wrong physics can give right results
Math for making astronomical predictions doesn’t necessarily reflect physical reality.
- Astronomy
Why are the loops in the sun’s atmosphere so neat and tidy?
Observations during the total solar eclipse may explain why the sun’s atmosphere is so organized despite arising from a tangled magnetic field.
- Astronomy
What can the eclipse tell us about the corona’s magnetic field?
The corona’s plasma jumps and dances thanks to the magnetic field, but scientists have never measured the field directly.
- Astronomy
Can the eclipse tell us if Einstein was right about general relativity?
During the eclipse, astronomers will reproduce the 1919 experiment that confirmed Einstein’s general theory of relativity.
