Natural Sciences
The natural sciences seek to understand the universe by studying its physical, chemical and biological processes
Amazing Sea Butterflies Are the Ocean’s Canary in the Coal Mine
These delicate and stunning creatures are offering Smithsonian scientists a warning sign for the world's waters turning more acidic
May 14, 2013 |
By Hannah Waters
Watch Out: This Year’s Fire Season Will Be Another Bad One for the West
A warm, dry winter has set the stage for another bad year of forest fires in the western U.S.
May 14, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Mount Everest Is Not Immune to Climate Change
Over the past 50 years, the snow line has receded nearly 600 feet up the mountain and glaciers in the region have shrunk by 13 percent
May 14, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Jury-Rigged iPhone Microscope Can See Parasitic Worms Just Fine
The new contraption detected giant roundworm eggs 81 percent of the time and roundworm eggs 54 percent of the time in village samples in Tanzania
May 14, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Angelina Jolie’s Double Mastectomy Choice Increasingly Common, Still Medically Murky
Angelina Jolie's choice to remove both her breasts is part of a larger trend - but doctors aren't sure why it's more popular now than ever, or whether it should be
May 14, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Why Do We Laugh?
What is the evolutionary purpose of laughter? Are we the only species that laughs?
May 13, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
This Carnivorous Plant Throws Out Its Junk DNA
Complex life is possible without excessive amounts of non-coding DNA
May 13, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Scientists Map Britain’s Most Famous Underwater City
Researchers have created a 3D visualization of Dunwich using acoustic imaging
May 13, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Easy-Peasy Test Finds Serious Fetal Health Issues Earlier
Scientists can detect signs of Down Syndrome, brain damage and a preterm delivery using this new urine test
May 13, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Barns Are Painted Red Because of the Physics of Dying Stars
Have you ever noticed that almost every barn you have ever seen is red? Turns out there's a reason for that that has to do with the chemistry of dying stars
May 10, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Macoto Murayama’s Intricate Blueprints of Flowers
The Japanese artist depicts blossoms from various plant species in fastidious detail
May 10, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
There Are Just Three Males of This Endangered Fish Left, And the London Zoo Is on a Global Hunt to Find a Lady
There are just three fish of this species left in the world, and they're all males.
May 10, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
The World According to Twitter, in Maps
A new geographic analysis of millions of tweets provides a remarkably broad view of humanity, by language, location and other factors
May 10, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Shell Is Drilling the World’s Deepest Offshore Oil Well in the Gulf of Mexico
The new well contains around 250 million barrels of recoverable oil total - or just over three percent of the oil used by the U.S. each year
May 09, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
You’ll Want to Watch Today’s Solar Eclipse Create a Gorgeous ‘Ring of Fire’
Tune in this evening to watch the Moon eclipse Australia's early-morning Sun
May 09, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
The Water On the Moon Probably Came From Earth
New isotopic analysis of hydrogen in Apollo-era Moon rocks shows that the water locked inside them hails from our planet
May 09, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Could Lightning Come From Space?
Cosmic rays may cause a "runaway breakdown" of electrons when they collide with highly charged particles in thunderclouds
May 09, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
28-Year Satellite Time-Lapse Shows Exactly What We’re Doing to Our Planet
28 years in just a few seconds, as seen from space
May 09, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
How Much Do We Really Know About Your Tongue?
This new model is the most complete guide for understanding the "complex interweaving" of our tongue muscles
May 09, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Baby Weddell Seals Have the Most Adult-Like Brains in the Animal Kingdom
The newborn seal pups possess the most well-developed brains compared to other mammals, but that advantage comes with a cost
May 09, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
