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The Power of Small Wonderments
Alan Lightman’s three greatest revelations while writing The Miraculous from the Material.
The Porthole
Short sharp looks at science
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When Pollution Brings Snow
Metals and minerals from industry can trigger snowfall over hundreds of miles.
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The Sex Problem with Sea Turtles
Fewer male sea turtles are being born. What does that mean for the future?
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Medicine Is Going Viral
Once lost in scientific obscurity, bacteriophage therapy is making a comeback.
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Lucy at 50
Donald Johanson reflects on his fossil discovery that shook the human family tree a half century ago.
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Bustling Through the Physics of Crowds
A comic uses fluid dynamics to explain how groups of people move—and how that could help make large gatherings safer.
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How the Occult Gave Birth to Science
For scientists of yore anything—from mermaids to alchemy—was on the table.
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Why We Ghost
The psychology of people who cut off all communication—and how that affects their partners.
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Feeling Gravity’s Pull
Two theoretical physicists have a lively conversation about how abstract concepts can feel down-to-Earth.
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Can Ecstasy Save a Marriage?
A new wave of experimental therapy is enlisting MDMA in relationship counseling.
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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 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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The Rituals of Art, Science, and Superstition
A conversation with Issue 58 cover artist Ellen Weinstein. -
Digging Into the First Work of Modern Ecology
What Carl Linneaus can teach us about animal appetites. -
The Art of Time Travel
“It’s not about what’s out there, it’s about your perception of what’s out there.” -
The Amazing, Ageless Axolotl!
What we can learn about growing old from a tiny aquatic monster. -
Don’t We Belong to Nature?
Norwegian author Karl Ove Knausgaard on the inspiration for his latest novel and his turn to sci-fi. -
Sky Gazing on Mars
You sit down on a sandy dune and tilt your head back. -
This Bee Is Thriving
Adaptability is this wild pollinator’s superpower. -
How to Drill for Extraterrestrial Life on Europa
The formidable challenge of digging through miles of ice millions of miles away. -
Rats in Vests Sniff Out Wildlife Trade
They can identify pangolin scales, rhino horn, and elephant ivory. -
The Mystery of the Siberian Craters
Why permafrost in the tundra has begun to explode. -
Your Cat Is Listening to You
Felines may be able to learn human words. -
Giant Clams Are Marvels of Solar Energy
What we can learn from the critically endangered species. -
Climate vs. Invasive Species
Which foe is looming largest for native plants along the Yangtze River? -
And New Yorkers Think the Gowanus Canal Is Bad
Scientist Michael Faraday’s 1855 letter about the “feculence” of the River Thames. -
Yes, We Can Care About People Who Don’t Exist Yet
How to jumpstart our empathy for future generations. -
Subverting Reality Through Art
A conversation with artist Tim O’Brien. -
Life Will Find a Way
A new exhibition highlights the persistence of organisms from lichens to polar bears to us. -
Whale Sharks on Collision Course
As oceans warm, marine creatures are moving into shipping lanes. -
The Demolition Ants
The wood ant stalks its prey in colonies of thousands. -
Solving the Riddle of Ceres
New evidence suggests the dwarf planet was a muddy ocean world that froze over time.
