Natural Sciences
The natural sciences seek to understand the universe by studying its physical, chemical and biological processes
What Genomic Research Can Tell Us About the Earth's Biodiversity
Smithsonian scientists are gathering wildlife tissue samples from around the world to build the largest museum-based repository of such specimens
June 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Is a Lack of Water to Blame for the Conflict in Syria?
A 2006 drought pushed Syrian farmers to migrate to urban centers, setting the stage for massive uprisings
June 2013 |
By Joshua Hammer
Michael Pollan and Ruth Reichl Hash out the Food Revolution
Be a fly in the soup at the dinner table with two of America’s most iconic food writers
June 2013 |
By Ruth Reichl
Lisa Randall’s Guide to the Galaxy
The famed cosmologist unveils her latest theories on the invisible universe, extra dimensions and human consciousness
June 2013 |
By Ron Rosenbaum
How Did Water Come to Earth?
It took an out-of-this-world arrival to get that perfect chemical combination for water to fill our planet
June 2013 |
By Brian Greene
Never Heard of Doggerland? Blame Climate Change From Millennia Ago
Rising waters have forced populations to relocate since the dawn of early man
June 2013 |
By Brian Fagan
Digging for the Secrets Beneath Antarctica
Scientists have found life in the depths beneath the ice
June 2013 |
By Erica R. Hendry
Batten Down the Hatches: Another Bad Hurricane Season Is on Its Way
Forecasters are predicting a hurricane season even more active than last year's
May 24, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Cockroaches Have Evolved to Avoid Our Traps
In just a few years, cockroaches evolved to avoid our poisons
May 24, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Nearly 40 Percent of Medical Students Are Biased Against Overweight Patients
Thirty-nine percent had a moderate to strong bias against overweight people, and 25 percent of them did not realize they were biased
May 24, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Dreaming of Animals Might Augur the Onset of Diseases like Alzheimer’s
Recent research has shown that sleep disturbance might be one warning sign of neurodegeneration—things like insomnia, sleep apnea, drowsiness and animal-packed dreams
May 24, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Discovered: The Molecule Responsible for Itchiness
A neurotransmitter called Nppb, we now know, plays a vital role in the sensation of an itch—and removing it can prevent itchiness entirely
May 23, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
China Plans to Regulate Some of Its Carbon Emissions for the First Time Ever
In an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the country will implement a carbon trading scheme in seven cities by 2014
May 23, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Here’s How the Enhanced Fujita Scale Works, and This Is What It Looks Like
The Moore, Oklahoma tornado was upgraded to an EF-5 storm.
May 23, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Save the Amazon, Increase Malaria
People in Brazil living close to forests are 25 times more likely to catch malaria than those living near places where all the trees have been cut down, new research shows
May 23, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Unclear Fate of Nuclear Power
Two years after the accident at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi, can the nuclear renaissance regain its momentum?
May 23, 2013 |
By Josie Garthwaite
