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Editors' Picks

Before and After: America’s Environmental History

For the EPA's State of the Environment Photography Project, people are returning to sites photographed in the 1970s. They are snapping the scenes yet again—to document any changes in the landscape

PHOTOS: The Mind-Blowing, Floating, Unmanned Scientific Laboratory

Wave Gliders are about to make scientific exploration a lot cheaper and safer

Merely a Taste of Beer Can Trigger a Rush of Chemical Pleasure in the Brain

New research shows just a sip can cause the potent neurotransmitter dopamine to flood the brain

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10 New Things Science Says About Moms

Among then: They answer a lot of questions and their spit is good for us
May 10, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

Page 1 of 11

What Phone Companies Are Doing With All That Data From Your Phone

They're mining it and selling it. But don't worry, it's all anonymous. Maybe
May 08, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

The Secret to a Long Life May Be Deep Inside Your Brain

Scientists have found a way to slow the aging process. Unluckily for us, they've only been able to do it in mice
May 03, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

Look Ma, No Fuel! Flying Cross Country on Sun Power

This week one of the strangest flying machines you've ever seen will start its journey across America--without a drop of fuel.
April 30, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

How Big Data Will Mean the End to Job Interviews

Companies will rely more and more on analyzing mountains of data to determine who's the best fit for a job.
April 26, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

Eight New Things We’ve Learned About Music

It's right up there with food, sex and drugs when its comes to stirring up pleasure responses in our brains.
April 24, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

Do Teachers Need Their Own “Bar Exam”?

Some say the best way to improve American education--and get teachers more respect--is make them take challenging entry exams like doctors and lawyers do.
April 19, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

Should We Fall Out of Love with Robot Surgery?

The FDA is investigating whether doctors aren't getting enough training before they start using machines to do surgery. Is the "wow" factor to blame?
April 15, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

Do Wind Turbines Need a Rethink?

They're still a threat to bats and birds and now they even have their own "syndrome". So, are there better ways to capture the wind?
April 05, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

10 New Things We Know About Food and Diets

Scientists keep learning new things about food all the time, from the diet power of olive oil's aroma to how chewing gum can keep you away from healthy foods.
April 02, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

Free Online Courses Mean College Will Never Be the Same

They're the biggest innovation in higher education in years, but are they a threat to small universities and community colleges?
March 29, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

How Digital Devices Change the Rules of Etiquette

Should sending "Thank you" emails and leaving voice mails now be considered bad manners? Some think texting has made it so.
March 25, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

The Bay Bridge Gets Its Glow On

When an algorithm-driven light show took over the Bay Bridge last week, it was the latest example of how much technology is transforming how cities look.
March 14, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

Lousy Sleep Isn’t Good For Your Body, Either

More and more scientific research is showing that sleep is more important to our state of mind--and body--than we ever could have imagined.
March 08, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

How Smart Can a Watch Be?

Actually, fairly smart. And we're only seeing the first wave of smartwatches, with Apple expected to enter the fray as early as this year.
March 05, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

The War on Cancer Goes Stealth

With nanomedicine, the strategy is not to poison cancer cells or to blast them away but to trick them
March 01, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

Mapping How the Brain Thinks

The White House wants to fund a huge project that would allow scientists to see, in real time, how a brain does its work.
February 25, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

What Can We Do About Big Rocks From Space?

Last week's close encounters with space rocks have raised concerns about how we deal with dangerous asteroids. Here's how we would try to knock them off course.
February 19, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

10 Fresh Looks at Love

Don't understand love? Not to worry. Scientists continue to study away to try to make sense of it for the rest of us
February 13, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

Can Machines Learn Morality?

The debate over drones stirs up questions about whether robots can learn ethical behavior. Will they be able to make moral decisions?
February 08, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

Primal Screens: How Pro Football Is Amping Up Its Game

Pro football is turning to screens--some massive, others on smart phones--to try to keep its fans entertained.
February 01, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

These Machines Will Be Able to Detect Smells Your Own Nose Cannot

We're getting closer to the day when your smartphone knows you have a cold before you do
January 30, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

Learning From Nature How to Deal With Nature

As cities like New York prepare for what appears to be a future of more extreme weather, the focus increasingly is on following nature's lead.
January 23, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

Can a Buzzing Fork Make You Lose Weight?

HapiFork, a utensil that slows down your eating, is one of a new wave of gadgets designed to help you take control of your health.
January 17, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

How Smart Should TVs Be?

Every January, at the Consumer Electronics Show, companies make a point of showing us how much smarter TVs have become, with the hope that they'll once again become our favorite screen.
January 11, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

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