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The "Great Garuda" seawall will be shaped like Indonesia's national symbol—a mythical, birdlike creature.

Jakarta Is Building a Gigantic Bird-Shaped Seawall

But will the Great Garuda project be enough to save a sinking city?

December 14, 2015

Genetically-Modified Mosquitoes Could Help Fight Malaria

Two research groups offer two different solutions to one big problem

December 11, 2015

Robot, baby. Baby, robot.

New Robots Could Learn Like Children

A research team is teaching artificial minds to imitate and innovate like kids do during play

December 11, 2015

During the first two years of the team's studies, snow sealed the entrance to Snow Dragon cave. But in recent years, low snowpack has kept the entrance open year-round.

Behold the Beauty of Disappearing Glacier Ice Caves on Mt. Hood

Catch them before they’re gone — these tunnels and caverns may soon melt away

December 10, 2015

Surprising bright spots lurking in Ceres’ Occator crater, as spotted by the Dawn spacecraft

We Finally May Know the Cause of Ceres’ Bright Spots

It’s not aliens

December 10, 2015

Microplastic poses a growing concern in oceans and other aquatic habitats.

Five Things to Know About Congress’ Vote to Ban Microbeads

Included as exfoliators in many common soaps and cosmetics, microbeads now pollute waterways worldwide

December 10, 2015

See the Vatican Light Up With Images Warning Against Climate Change

Animals prowled across St. Peter’s Basilica in a move to connect Earth’s beauty with the dangers of climate change

December 9, 2015

The informally named al-Idrisi mountains meet the smooth surface of Sputnik Planum in this image.

New Images Capture Pluto’s Mountains, Badlands and Craters in Breathtaking Detail

These images are “the best close-ups of Pluto that humans may see for decades,” according to NASA

December 8, 2015

This Is How Dolphins ‘See’ Humans With Echolocation

A news study capture images of what dolphins ‘see’ underwater

December 8, 2015

An artist's depiction of the Akatsuki spacecraft in orbit around Venus.

Japan’s Akatsuki Spacecraft May Finally Be Orbiting Venus

The five-year wait is over (almost)

December 8, 2015

The cute-yet-contentious tardigrade

Tardigrades Stir Up Controversy and Showcase Science in Action

Rival scientists quickly challenge recently published research about water bears’ mysterious genomes

December 7, 2015

An artist's rendition of what the Juno spacecraft will look like as it flies by Jupiter

NASA Needs Your Help Snapping and Processing Images of Jupiter

The public will help direct JunoCam as it twirls past Jupiter next July

December 7, 2015

A cyclist braves Beijing's smog with a face mask last month.

Beijing Just Issued Its First “Red Alert” for Smog

Will the city’s latest smog crisis spur international action on climate change?

December 7, 2015

Mount Etna's eruption on December 3, 2015 was powerful enough to produce volcanic lightning

Watch Mount Etna and Momotombo Erupt in All Their Glory

Photos and video catch the spectacular events in action

December 7, 2015

An ultra-marathoner runs the Ultra tour de Mont Blanc

An Unexpected Effect of Ultra-Marathons: Brain Shrinkage

Don’t worry, it isn’t permanent

December 4, 2015

Geminid meteors streak across the sky behind a barn in western Iowa.

Catch a Glimpse of the Comet Catalina and the Geminid Meteor Shower

The meteor shower peaks next week as comet Catalina gets closer throughout the month

December 4, 2015

The LISA Pathfinder probe on display in September, 2015.

A Space-Based Physics Lab Could Help Scientists Study How Gravity Warps Spacetime

The LISA Pathfinder Probe could help reveal the ripples caused by black holes and supernovae

December 4, 2015

The top of Mauna Kea with Keck Observatory in the foreground

Court Revokes the Construction Permit for Contentious Hawaiian Telescope

Protestors physically blocked access to the Mauna Kea construction site for more than a year and now the project faces another roadblock

December 3, 2015

Residents evacuate their homes in Chennai during catastrophic floods.

Five Things You Should Know about the Catastrophic Flooding in Chennai

Mass evacuations, a submerged airport and questions about the city’s urban planning

December 3, 2015

The rainforest edge at the Amazon river in Peru

Amazon Tree Census Makes Clear Just How Many Species are in Trouble

More than half of the Amazon’s trees could qualify as threatened species

December 2, 2015

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