Technology
This Bizarre Insect Is Building Shelters Out of Microplastic
Caddisfly larvae typically construct protective cases out of sand grains and silk. Now they're also using microplastic particles.
Why Meatpacking Plants Have Become Covid-19 Hot Spots
Frigid temperatures, cramped conditions, and long hours put meat processing workers at higher risk for contracting the novel coronavirus.
China Is One Launch Closer to Building Its Own Space Station
The success of the Long March 5B rocket marked the country's latest attempt to position itself as an equal to NASA in space.
Covid-19 Forces Spring Science Field Work to Go Fallow
Researchers and graduate students who depend on outdoor data collection find themselves stuck inside, just as expedition season normally...
After 60 Years, Explosion-Powered Rockets Are Nearly Here
Rotating detonation engines could make rockets lighter, faster, and simpler. First imagined in the 1950s, now they’re almost ready...
The H1N1 Crisis Predicted Covid-19’s Toll on Black Americans
In 2009, nonwhite patients got sicker faster, recovered more slowly, and died at higher rates than white patients. Now history is...
The Neuroscience of Why You Could Really Use a Hug Right...
For those quarantined alone, the lack of human touch can feel agonizing. A neurological phenomenon called "skin hunger" explains why.
This Pandemic Is Lonely. But Don't Call Loneliness an ‘Epidemic’
Comparing isolation to infection disease isn't helpful, says historian Fay Bound Alberti. But Covid-19 lends a unique opportunity...
Everything We Know About Covid-19 Antibody Tests (So Far)
Should you take a test, and what does it mean for immunity? You’ve got questions, but we’ve got … more questions.
The FDA Tightens the Rules for Covid-19 Antibody Blood...
In a reversal, agency officials raised the bar for validation and accuracy standards, citing concerns about flawed tests and fraudulent...
