Natural Sciences
The natural sciences seek to understand the universe by studying its physical, chemical and biological processes
New Set of Patients May Be Cured of HIV With Early Treatment
Researchers announce that they have cured fourteen adults of HIV by treating them early
March 15, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
14 Fun Facts about Marine Ribbon Worms
Ribbon worms swallow prey whole, grease themselves with their mucus to slide quickly through mud, split into thousands of new worms if repeatedly severed, and much more
March 15, 2013 |
By Emily Frost
Albania Has No Idea What to Do With All of These Leftover War Bunkers
Albania's 700,000 war bunkers aren't going anywhere soon, so locals are turning them into hostels, animal sheds and make-out spots
March 15, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
A New Meaning to Green Urban Design: Dyeing the Chicago River
The story behind how the Windy City gets its yearly watery makeover
March 15, 2013 |
By Jimmy Stamp
The Town Featured in ‘Erin Brockovich’ Still Has a Bunch of Pollution in Its Water
The chromium pollution is spreading, and Hinkley's residents are at a loss for what to do
March 15, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Vanishing Marine Algae Can Be Monitored From a Boat With Your Smartphone
An app allows boat travelers to track declining levels of phytoplankton, a microscopic organism at the base of the marine food chain
March 15, 2013 |
By Claire Martin
Beautiful Monarch Butterflies Basically Aren’t Migrating Anymore
Over the past two years, the migration has shrunk by nearly 60 percent, the latest in a long-term plummet
March 14, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Are We Ready to Have Babies in Space?
As technology progresses, and people start to talk seriously about trips to Mars or other planets, the questions of love and sex in space become more pressing
March 14, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
A Woman With Five Transplanted Organs Has a Baby
A woman whose liver, pancreas, stomach, large intestine and small intestine all began their lives in another person's body has just given birth to a life of her own
March 14, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Zoos Play Canned Lion Roars to Placate Human Visitors
People love visiting the lions at zoos; the problem is that lions sleep most of the day
March 14, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Eight Months Later, Physicists Double Down on Claim of Higgs Particle Discovery
No longer Higgs-like, now just Higgs
March 14, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
The U.S. Is Stocking Drugs for a Hypothetical Smallpox Bio-Attack
In the event of a bio-terrorism smallpox attack, at least 2 million Americans will be able to get treatment, though we can all receive vaccinations
March 14, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Resurrecting Extinct Species Is Conservation’s Next Frontier
Some of the world's experts in endangered and extinct species will gather for a conference aimed at figuring out the who, what, when and where behind resurrecting extinct species
March 14, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Cannibals of the Past Had Plenty of Reasons to Eat People
For a long time cannibalism was a survival technique, a cultural practice, and a legitimate source of protein
March 14, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Stressed Corals Dim Then Glow Brightly Before They Die
Measuring how coral fluorescence changes may serve as an early indicator of the declining health of a reef
March 13, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Pluto May Have Ten More Teeny Tiny Moons
Poor little Pluto could have a dozen moons and some rings, and yet it still isn't a planet
March 13, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Brand New, Never Before Seen Bacteria Found in Frozen Antarctic Lake—Maybe
Scientists are revealing, then recanting, then reaffirming their claim to have discovered a new type of bacteria
March 13, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Anesthetists, At Least, Report That Only an Unlucky Few Are Aware During Surgery
Researchers used to think about one in 500 people are conscious during surgery, but new research puts that number at one in 15,000
March 13, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Japan Just Opened Up a Whole New Source for Fossil Fuels
For the first time, natural gas has been pulled from offshore methane clathrates
March 13, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Cloth Coated in Fish Sperm DNA Doesn’t Burn
Coated in sperm DNA and set on fire, this cotton cloth just doesn't want to burn
March 12, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
