Famous Scientists
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Benjamin Franklin’s Phonetic Alphabet
One of the founding father's more quixotic quests was to create a new alphabet. No Q included
May 10, 2013 |
By Jimmy Stamp
What’s in Century-Old ‘Snake Oil’ Medicines? Mercury and Lead
A chemical analysis of early 1900s medicines, billed as cure-alls, revealed vitamins and calcium along with toxic compounds
April 08, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
B.F. Skinner: The Man Who Taught Pigeons to Play Ping-Pong and Rats to Pull Levers
One of behavioral psychology's most famous scientists was also one of the quirkiest
March 20, 2013 |
By Marina Koren
Jane Goodall Reveals Her Lifelong Fascination With…Plants?
After studying chimpanzees for decades, the celebrated scientist turns her penetrating gaze on another life-form
March 2013 |
By Jane Goodall
Interview: Jane Goodall on the Future of Plants and Chimps
The renowned chimp expert discusses her new book, her efforts to protect the rainforest and why she misses living with chimps
February 21, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Unmanned Drones Have Been Around Since World War I
They have recently been the subject of a lot of scrutiny, but the American military first began developing similar aerial vehicles during World War I
February 12, 2013 |
By Jimmy Stamp
The House Where Darwin Lived
Home to the naturalist for 40 years, the estate near London was always evolving
February 2013 |
By Rebecca Stott
Origami: A Blend of Sculpture and Mathematics
Artist and MIT professor Erik Demaine makes flat geometric diagrams spring into elegant, three-dimensional origami sculptures
January 23, 2013 |
By Marina Koren
Men Commit Scientific Fraud Much More Frequently Than Women
According to a new study, they're also much more likely to lie about their findings as they climb the academic ladder
January 23, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
What’s Inside a 2,000-Year-Old, Shipwreck-Preserved Roman Pill?
Ancient Roman pills, preserved in sealed tin containers on the seafloor, may have been used as eye medicine
January 07, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Remember These Titans of Science Who Died in 2012
From the inventor of the barcode to the discoverer of how cancer spreads, we take a look at the brilliant minds who shaped our culture and modern way of life
December 29, 2012 |
By Mohi Kumar
Space Exploration and the End of an Era: Notable Deaths in 2012
Neil Armstrong, Sally Ride, Roger Boisjoly and the shuttle program form this year's late greats of space exploration
December 28, 2012 |
By Mohi Kumar
Quirky Holiday Gift Ideas for Science Nerds
A roundup of unique (if impractical) science gifts, from glass anatomical models to retro adding machines
December 07, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Painting Portraits With Bacteria
Microbiologist Zachary Copfer has created detailed portraits of famous artists and scientists in petri dishes
October 10, 2012 |
By Megan Gambino
Are Scientists Sexist? New Study Identifies a Gender Bias
A new study indicates that the gatekeepers of science, whether male or female, are less likely to hire female applicants to work in labs
September 24, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Your Last Chance to See a Blue Moon Until 2015 is Friday Night
The moon won't actually be blue in color, so where did this strange term originate?
August 29, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Sherlock Holmes and the Tools of Deduction
Sherlock Holmes’s extraordinary deductions would be impossible without the optical technologies of the 19th century
July 31, 2012 |
By Jimmy Stamp
The DC Derecho of 2012
A devastating storm swept through Washington Friday night. By Saturday morning we were all left wondering, "what in the world had happened?"
July 02, 2012 |
By Sarah Zielinski
Are You Chatting With a Human or a Computer?
Converse with some of the world's most sophisticated artificial intelligence programs—and decide how human they seem
June 21, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
What Really Sparked the Hindenburg Disaster?
Seventy-five years later, opinions still vary on what caused the airship to explode so suddenly
May 10, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
