Art+Science
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Culture
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Life
Mind
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One Question
Quanta Abstractions
Rewilding
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Science Philanthropy Alliance
Spark of Science
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The Reality Issue
The Rebel Issue
Women in Science & Engineering
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He Erased Memory in Mice. Then Thought About Erasing His Own
Sunk in grief and alcoholism, this neuroscientist discovered the power of memory in himself
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To Be More Creative, Immigrate
Creativity flourishes when people cross borders—and when those borders blur through deep, human connection
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These Are the THC Derivatives Poised to Go Up In Smoke
A stopgap spending bill just ended the longest US government shutdown ever, and it may decimate a weed-infused segment of the economy
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Ancient Roman Glass Reveals a Hidden “Language”
Closer inspection of prized Roman possessions has highlighted the possible networks of the artisans behind them
The Porthole
Short sharp looks at science
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Why We Love Horror Stories
From ancient monsters to modern slashers, our fascination with horror may be an evolutionary gift
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What Happens in Space Matters on Earth
Dagomar Degroot’s three greatest revelations while writing Ripples on a Cosmic Ocean
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The Nautilus Reading List About the Cosmos
Our writers have read a universe of books on space and astronomy. Here are their favorites.
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Seeking Signs of Life on Venus
The first private mission to the morning star will sample for traces of biological activity in the planet’s clouds
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Creating a Cosmic Movie
Making sense of a new era of time-domain astronomy from the Rubin Observatory
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Naked Clams and Sunken Ships
A brazen plan to grow an animal that has been the bane of sailors for centuries—to feed the world
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The Problem with Farmed Seafood
We’re decimating the ocean to feed farmed fish. But an innovative solution has surfaced.
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How “Plant Math” Can Help Predict the Climate’s Future
Researchers are building equations for vegetation processes that might improve climate models
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The Hidden Landscape Holding Back the Sea
The fate of our planet’s coasts rests on Antarctic bedrock
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The Power Grid Is Struggling. Can AI Fix It?
Renewables, EVs, and AI itself are straining the grid. These researchers have ideas to evolve it.
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The Secret Superpowers of Frog Skin
The slime coating frog bodies could hold the key to fighting infections, healings wounds and even curing cancer
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High-Tech Lollipops That Detect Disease
This researcher crosses disciplines for unexpected innovations
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Will Trump’s Immigration Policies Hurt US Nobel Chances?
Drastic cuts to science funding and immigration restrictions could hobble the country’s research enterprise
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The Periscope: Book Weeding, Fact-Checking, and Imperiled Fruit Fly Data
What Nautilus executive editor Katherine Courage has been tuning into recently
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The Pretense of Political Debate
Grandstanding acts of persuasion restrict free speech and real learning. Just ask Socrates.
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What Is Intelligence?
At a church in Italy, we sought to shed an old definition for one that could save us
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What Is Your Brain Doing on Psychedelics?
Something is happening here, but neuroscientists don’t know what it is
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In the Land of the Eyeless Dragons
The cave-dwelling olm is a canary in the coal mine for environmental change
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Visit the 7 Most Extreme Planets in the Universe
From molten glass rain to oceans of lava, an intergalactic tour of the most terrifying and beautiful climates out there
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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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Archaeologists Uncover Lost Opioid Tradition in Ancient Egypt
Chemical traces in a royal vase suggest the narcotic may have been a routine part of life -
Celestial Poetry Illuminates Astronomy
A lyrical observation in verse turns out to be a glimpse at a star’s last gasp -
Fierce Debate About Earth’s First Animal Heats Up
Are you Team Sponge or Team Comb Jelly? -
Are Rare Earths Really That Rare?
Misnomers and international trade -
This Huge Lizard Stalked the Earth Before Dinos
The newly named reptile, Tainrakuasuchus bellator, had a mouth brimming with sharp teeth to snatch prey -
Falling Asleep Is More Like Plunging Off a Cliff Than We Thought
It’s not the gradual slip into darkness that scientists assumed -
These Martian Caves Might Point to Life
Newly discovered Martian caves were possibly formed by water and may contain traces of life -
The Surprisingly Ancient Origins of Your Dog
New research shakes up the history of humanity’s best friend -
For Birds, Beauty Can Be a Curse
Good looks encourage trafficking and even risk extinction -
Exploding Star’s Dramatic First Moments Captured for the First Time
The explosive findings were the result of an international race against the clock -
The Universe Is a Mirror
And it’s reflecting back wrinkles -
We’re Not Alone in Space Weather Chaos
The star-induced storms recently hitting Earth may be even more intense elsewhere in the cosmos -
A Trip Around Our Surprisingly Psychedelic Planet
Inside Earth’s most hallucinatory ecosystems -
Easing the Surgical Rehab with Prehab
Can recovery be smoother if we prepare before being wheeled into the OR? -
Why Are Narwhals Messing with Hydrophones?
The unicorns of the ocean might also be the kitties of the sea -
How Moss Fights Crime
Even tiny bits of an unassuming carpet of plant matter can be enough to lead investigators to a suspect -
This Is a Laser Blast Straight to the Psyche
In a demonstration of long-distant space communication, NASA beamed photons to a receiver millions of miles from Earth -
Childhood Friends, Not Moms, Shape Attachment Styles Most
A new study upends conventional wisdom about how we relate to those closest to us -
How the Spoils of an Infamous Heist Traveled the World
The Stone of Scone may have been returned, but bits of this sacred object were distributed in a hidden network -
From Deep Blue Mud, Unexpected Life Emerges
Surprise biology in deep-sea mud volcanoes
