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Watch How Planet-Hopping Microbes Can Survive Asteroid Strikes
This polyextremophile bacterium could survive an interplanetary trip
Latest Stories
Watch How Water Bears Can Survive in Martian Dirt
There’s a way for the tiny resilient creatures to thrive even on the red planet
Laughing Off Your Mistakes Makes You Seem More Competent
“People often overestimate how harshly others judge their minor social mistakes”
Psychology
See more PsychologyWhy You’re More Likely to Develop AI-Psychosis than to Join a Cult
Philosopher Lucy Osler on the insidious appeal of AI Chatbots
Blame Your Parents for Your Extreme Aversion to Snakes
But recognize that it’s a useful survival trait
What Grief Has to Do with Love Addiction
People who have enmeshed attachments may be more vulnerable to prolonged grief
Environment
See more EnvironmentThe Ancient Cold Snaps That May Have Shaped Human Evolution
Here’s when Earth’s climate became chaotic
Is a Strictly Enforced Fishing Ban Saving the Yangtze?
Ecologists detect promising, early signs of river recovery
The Long, Dirty History of Our Capitol’s Waters
The recent Potomac River disaster follows centuries of pollution—but things are looking up
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History
See more HistoryThe Thrill of Science in 2042
A science historian explains how science got its groove back. A fictional dispatch from the future.
How Energy Politics Played Out on the White House Roof
The quick removal of Jimmy Carter’s futuristic solar panels echoes more recent feuds over renewables
The Missing Pieces of the Donner Party Narrative
People have only recently included Indigenous voices in the story
Physics
See more PhysicsNo More Tears? Scientists Take a Keen Eye to Onion Slicing
New research sheds light on a familiar problem, with important implications for food safety
Communication
See more CommunicationWhat Would Richard Feynman Make of AI Today?
The scientific sage was always suspicious of grand promises delivered before details were understood
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Sociology
See more SociologyThe Vibes Have Been Off in the US for Decades
New survey analysis reveals a sense of national deterioration
Does Belief in God, not Political Party, Drive Conservatism?
Religious “nones” may be less socially liberal than they used to be
Parachute Science Continues to Prevail in Global South Biodiversity Studies
The privilege of describing new species is skewed to Global Northerners
How Human Is Human?
The robot pioneer who gets under our skin
More recent posts
See all posts60,000-Year-Old Ostrich Eggshells Depict Ancient Human Thoughts
Homo sapiens were grooving on geometry in the Stone Age
Doing Science and Philosophy On Drugs
Justin Smith-Ruiu takes a philosophical and first-person look at psychedelics
Early Exposure to Junk Food Has Brain-Altering Effects
That first hit of burger and fries can leave quite the impression
What Do You Get When You Cross a Tardigrade with a Space Pioneer?
A little genetic engineering could help future space settlers survive the challenges of off-world living
Do These Centenarians Hold the Key to Long Life in Their Blood?
New research identifies key proteins linked to longevity
Mosquitoes Developed a Taste for Human Blood Before We Existed
About 2 million years ago, they evolved to feed on <i>Homo erectus</i>







































