Technology
Researchers Shed Light on the Perils of Firefly Tourism
A new study shows how bug spray, flashlights, and foot traffic can spell disaster for the fragile insects.
Watch a Snake Robot Go for a Swim
The Hardened Underwater Modular Robot Snake has thrusters for muscles and a camera for a face. Your move, evolution.
Awesome, Hypnotic Photos of Swirling, Crystal Chemistry
A new book goes micro to show the wonderful world of close-up chemical reactions.
This Is Your Brain Under Anesthesia
For the first time, researchers were able to observe, in extra-fine detail, how neurons behave as consciousness shuts down.
US Teens Can Get Their Covid Shot. What’s Next for Schools?
Kids as young as 12 are now authorized for Pfizer’s vaccine. That could make it easier for campuses to reopen this fall—but it introduces...
Faulty Weather Forecasts Are a Climate Crisis Disaster
Predicting the output of solar panels is tricky—but getting it right could slash carbon emissions.
2 Baseballs Collided at an MLB Game. How Did That Happen?
During a pregame warmup, Phillies right fielder Bryce Harper batted a line drive right into a ball zooming in from the outfield. It's...
Bad Weather Forecasts Are a Climate Crisis Disaster
Predicting the output of solar panels is tricky—but getting it right could slash carbon emissions.
What If Gravity Is Actually a Double Copy of Other Forces?
An enigmatic connection between the forces of nature is allowing physicists to explore the quantum side of gravity.
What’s the Point of Wasps, Anyway?
A new study says the reviled stinging insects play a critical ecological role—and their venom might even be useful to people.
