All Stories
- Life
Here’s how long it would take 100 worms to eat the plastic in one face mask
An experiment reveals that a bio-solution to humans’ microplastics mess is likely to fall short, but could inspire other ways to attack the problem.
- Materials Science
Starchy nanofibers shatter the record for world’s thinnest pasta
The fibers, made from white flour and formic acid, average just 372 nanometers in diameter and might find use in biodegradable bandages.
- Animals
Ethiopian wolves are the first large carnivores found to slurp nectar
Wolves from three different packs were seen licking red hot poker flowers. That sweet tooth could make them the first known large predator pollinators.
- Climate
An unexpected ice collapse hints at worrying changes on the Antarctic coast
The Conger Ice Shelf disintegrated in 2022. Satellite data leading up to the collapse hint at worrying changes in a supposedly stable ice sheet.
- Archaeology
Neandertals may have built a hearth specifically to make tar
Findings from a cave in Gibraltar suggests Neandertals may have used complex fire structures to obtain adhesives from plants.
- Neuroscience
Electronic ‘tattoos’ offer an alternative to electrodes for brain monitoring
A standard EEG test requires electrodes that come with pitfalls. A spray-on ink, capable of carrying electrical signals, avoids some of those.
- Animals
Giant hornets have been sighted in Europe for the first time
Four southern giant hornets have turned up in Spain. Similar stingers, known for honeybee attacks, had the Pacific Northwest on edge a few years ago.
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Re-engineering where body meets machine
Editor in chief Nancy Shute dives into growing research efforts to re-engineer the body to improve how it interacts with prosthetic devices.
- Science & Society
A new biography of Benjamin Franklin puts science at the forefront
Richard Munson’s new book, Ingenious, shows how scientific research inspired the founding father’s diplomacy.
- Particle Physics
50 years ago, physics underwent a major revolution
The discovery of new subatomic particles cemented quarks as a cornerstone of the standard model of particle physics.
- Animals
Videos capture orcas’ tricks for taking down the largest fish on Earth
Citizen science videos document for the first time how orcas coordinate an attack against whale sharks.
