Physics
Pickles glow when you plug them in. Science explains why
A scientist, a jar of pickles and a power strip walk into a room. The punchline involves physics, glowing condiments and a scientific party trick.
All Topics
Chemistry
Earth
Climate
A new map traces the sky’s water highways
Atmospheric rivers bring heavy rain and floods, but if they don’t come around, it could mean drought. A new global map reveals little-known pathways.
Humans
Archaeology
Ancient Egyptian princesses knew their way around weapons of war
Analysis of six mummies from ancient Egypt challenges the idea that the bows and daggers buried with some royal women were merely ceremonial.
Life
Genetics
Genes offer new clues to stopping Huntington’s disease in its tracks
A new generation of therapies aims to intervene at a recently discovered gap between the disease’s molecular march and its neurological consequences.
Math
Climate
A new map traces the sky’s water highways
Atmospheric rivers bring heavy rain and floods, but if they don’t come around, it could mean drought. A new global map reveals little-known pathways.
Physics
Space
A shoebox-sized satellite could expose hidden nuclear weapons in space
There’s never been a good method to check for violations of the Outer Space Treaty’s prohibition of nuclear weapons in space.
Science & Society
Artificial Intelligence
AI is not ready to fly solo in space
In sci-fi, AI can navigate the unknowns and — ideally — keep human travelers safe. But it’s not intelligent enough to do that yet.
Space
Astronomy
This “exotic weirdo” exoplanet has a rocky surface and an atmosphere
Astronomers found a helium atmosphere around a rocky exoplanet — a good sign for the search for life outside the solar system.
Tech
Artificial Intelligence
AI is not ready to fly solo in space
In sci-fi, AI can navigate the unknowns and — ideally — keep human travelers safe. But it’s not intelligent enough to do that yet.
