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Rewilding
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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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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
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Celestial Poetry Illuminates Astronomy
A lyrical observation in verse turns out to be a glimpse at a star’s last gasp
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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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 -
Take a Trip Through the Milky Way in the Most Detailed Image Yet
The sheer magnitude of our galaxy, the Milky Way, is difficult for the human mind to fully grasp. Its 105,700 light-year width also makes it just about as difficult to capture with a camera. But recently, researchers from the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research achieved an important milestone in this gigantic effort. Nautilus Members […] -
Chameleon’s Eyes Have Been Hiding a Secret
Their wandering gaze results from a structural adaptation in their nerves -
Unique Puke Fossil Reveals New Pterosaur Species
Discoveries abound in an ancient predator’s upchuck
