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What Caused the Devastating Earthquake in Myanmar?
A seismologist walks us through the region’s tectonic history
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The Surprising History of Scientific Ballooning in 11 Missions
It started with farm animals—now it’s revealing secrets of the cosmos
The Porthole
Short sharp looks at science
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Ping, You’ve Got Whale
A new AI system alerts ship captains in real-time when a whale is in their path
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The Mystery of the Pregnant Rays
Divers find hundreds of normally solitary electric rays snuggled together
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Why Elephants Rarely Get Cancer
What snakes, ferrets, and elephants are revealing about cancer resistance
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Argue Your Way to a Fuller Life
Refute your friends and family, never be satisfied. Philosopher Agnes Callard on life lessons from Socrates.
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Balloon-Borne Telescopes Take Off
Stratospheric balloons are giving astronomers sharper views of the universe
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These Physicists Want to Ditch Dark Energy
The idea that mysterious stuff speeds up the acceleration of the universe could be a big mistake
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Ukrainian War Widows on the Edge
Adventure therapy takes on the challenge of helping war-torn families
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David Lynch Opens a Portal to Our Minds
I use the filmmaker’s work in my psychology lab to understand how we make sense of an unsettling world
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The Extraordinary, Imperiled Science at the End of the Earth
Firing experts in Antarctica couldn’t come at a worse time
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How We Solved the Hole in the Ozone
A scientist’s first-hand account shows the world can tackle a global environmental crisis.
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The Sean Carrolls Explain the Universe
Why are we here? Is there life on other planets? The renowned scientists who share a name share their answers to life’s big questions.
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The Soviet Rebel of Music
He composed on a computer in a dangerous time. His echo is still heard today.
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How Whales Could Help Us Speak to Aliens
Learning to decode complex communication on Earth may give us a leg up if intelligent life from space makes contact.
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Celebrating the Relationship Between Science and Illustration
A conversation with Society of Illustrators executive director Arabelle Liepold -
When Fish Follow You
Some wild fish may recognize individual humans in the sea -
Icelandic Horses Have Good Genes
New evidence suggests their unique gaits have a complex pedigree -
The Great Whale Conveyor Belt
The loss of whales has weakened the longest food chain on the planet -
The Importance of Muscle
In his new book, Michael Joseph Gross explores how the notion of strength has changed since Homer -
What Megalodons Tell Us About Gigantism
The biggest predator ever to have lived was a skinny beast -
The Perils of Early Springtime
How shifting seasons are altering allergies and agriculture -
Ballooning Around Venus
A scientist floats a new idea for exploring Earth’s twin -
Hidden Dragon
Prizewinning image shows a leafy seadragon expertly camouflaged in seagrass -
Learning Medicine from Animals
Biologist Jaap de Roode on his 3 greatest revelations while writing Doctors by Nature: How Ants, Apes, and Other Animals Heal Themselves -
Rockets Are Blasting the Environment
At launch sites, rockets are leaving a trail of damage to wildlife, vegetation, and water -
Animals Are More Rational Than You Think
What we can learn from alligators that lure birds with twigs -
The Creative Nest
How decorating work spaces supports art making -
The Collective Power of Ants
A group of ants beats a group of humans at problem solving -
Breathing New Life into Found Objects
A conversation with Nautilus cover artist Katherine Streeter. -
Wolves Reintroduced Themselves to America
How the godfather of wolf conservation in Canada sees wolf recovery across the border -
The Language of Tree Rings
Turning tree ring science into art -
Courtship Is a Risky Endeavor
A winning image shows stag beetles in an epic fight for a mate -
The Caterpillars That Can Kill You
But their toxic compounds could yield useful medicines -
Life in an Atmospheric Zoo
Journalist Carl Zimmer tells the story of the science of aerobiology