Natural Sciences
The natural sciences seek to understand the universe by studying its physical, chemical and biological processes
E.T. Phone Home: New Research Could Detect Signs of Life in this Decade
Thanks to a proposal by astronomers Avi Loeb and Dan Maoz, we could find evidence of extraterrestrial life very soon
March 01, 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
A Visit to the Natonal Zoo’s “Ark of Life”
Smithsonian Secretary G. Wayne Clough journeys to Front Royal, Virginia, to find out the latest in animal research
March 2013 |
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
How Did Plants Develop Photosynthesis?
For a large chunk of the Earth’s existence, flora have used the Sun’s light to turn the planet green
March 2013 |
By Henry Fountain
Bioluminescence: Light Is Much Better, Down Where It’s Wetter
From tracking a giant squid to decoding jellyfish alarms in the Gulf, a depth-defying scientist plunges under the sea
March 2013 |
By Abigail Tucker
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
Dust from the Sahara Can Seed Rain and Snow Clouds Over the Western U.S.
Clouds above California contain dust and bacteria from China, the Middle East and even Africa, new research shows
February 28, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Could Disappearing Wild Insects Trigger a Global Crop Crisis?
Three-quarters of the world’s crops—including fruits, grains and nuts—depend on pollination, and the insects responsible are disappearing
February 28, 2013 |
By Marina Koren
Could Spider Silk Stop a Moving Train?
Spiderman really could have stopped that train from falling, so long as his silk resembled that produced by the Darwin's bark spider
February 28, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Why Are Our Brains Wrinkly?
Brain wrinkles naturally develop as the brain gets larger in order to lend more surface area and help white matter fibers avoid long stretches
February 28, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
In 1989, Life Magazine Said Goodbye To Video Stores, Mailmen and Pennies…
In 1989, Life magazine predicted that, by the year 2000, many staples of modern American life might find themselves on the scrapheap of history
February 27, 2013 |
By Matt Novak
Canadian Government Winds Down Research That Could Help Stop Climate Change
If carbon dioxide emissions don't start dropping in the next few decades, we're looking at hundreds of years of high temperatures
February 27, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Why Do We Care Whether Animals Appreciate Our Art?
In a recent study, researchers put seven Java Sparrows in a cage with a bunch of artwork and watched them to see which ones they preferred
February 27, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Lighting Up the Arctic Sky With Artificial Aurorae
The U.S. military's Naval Research Lab teamed up with university researchers and defense contractors to set the atmosphere aglow
February 27, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
This Is Your Brain on Movies
Innerscope Research recently did a study claiming that by looking at viewers "emotional engagement threshold" during a trailer, they can predict just how well it will do at the box office. But neuroscience isn't that easy
February 27, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Why Do Big Dogs Die Younger?
According to new research, it's because they age faster
February 27, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Too Little Sleep Can Really Mess Our Bodies Up
People who sleep normally have around 1,800 functioning genes, but the sleep deprived lose around 400 of these
February 26, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Investigation: China Covertly Condones Trade in Tiger Skins and Bones
The Chinese government says it is committed to saving tigers from extinction, yet it legalized trade in captive-bred big cats' skin and bones
February 26, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
How to Survive China’s Pollution Problem: Masks and Bubbles
The air quality in China's biggest cities is famously atrocious, but designers think they may have found a way to combat the issue
February 26, 2013 |
By Jimmy Stamp
The Red Planet Is Only Red on the Outside
A rusty sheen turns Mars red, but beneath the rock is a plain gray
February 26, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
