Latest Articles
How Viruses May Have Led to Complex Life
Without viruses, we might never have evolved.
On the Moon’s Far Side, Clues to a Cataclysm?
A mission to collect samples from the far side of the moon could answer questions about a barrage of asteroids nearly 4 billion years ago.
The Cell’s Backup Genetic Instructions
The cell is equipped with multiple redundancies in case something goes wrong. Researchers have begun to map these systems.
Off-the-Shelf Lens Assists Dark Matter Find
A camera lens often used by wildlife and sports photographers has helped astronomers learn about dark matter and galaxy formation.
Responding Rapidly to Big Discoveries
How do scientists react to major breaking science news? For astrophysicists after the big gravitational waves announcement, it was meeting for two weeks in Santa Barbara, California.
Air Traffic Control for Random Surfaces
Mathematicians have had a hard time finding commonalities in large groups of random shapes — until recently.
Hope That an Old Drug Might Treat Zika
Scientists are having a difficult time finding a treatment for the Zika virus in part because so few drugs are safe for pregnant women. But one antibiotic has shown promise.
Handicapping the 2018 Fields Medal
Peter Scholze is a favorite to win one of the highest honors in mathematics for his contributions in number theory and geometry.
How to Grow Metal-Eating Microbes
Metal-eating microbes get energy from rocks and could teach us about life on other worlds — but first scientists had to learn how to grow them in the lab.