“Immodest Acts” tells the story of Benedetta Carlini, a lesbian nun who claimed to be a mystic visionary but failed to convince the leaders of her faith. 

When making any tough decision, the key is not to be overly exploratory or exploitative.

Behavioral interventions may be better for long-term health.

How efficiently could quantum engines operate?

“Who ya gonna believe: me or your own eyes?” Until you can assess your perception, the answer should be neither.

Spirals, ellipticals, and irregulars are all more common than ring galaxies. At last, we know how these ultra-rare objects are made.

Inflection points veer life in unexpected directions. While unnerving, they provide opportunities for those who can navigate them.

Satire and an inflated sense of self-importance collide in a series of maps that goes back more than 100 years in American history.

Pluto failed to meet the definition of a planet, but some astronomers think there might be a legitimate Planet 9 out there.

Benjamin Franklin’s lightning rod saved countless lives, but some religious leaders denounced his invention.

The recently discovered Oort cloud comet, Bernardinelli–Bernstein, has the largest known nucleus: 119 km. Here’s what it could do to Earth.

Plants are very sensitive to touch, with research showing that touching a plant can change its genome and launch a cascade of plant hormones.

The European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter recently captured images that could help scientists better under the mysterious physics of our Sun.

When was the last time you spent some quality time with yourself?

Dr. Tyson explains where we might find aliens, why “dark matter” is a misleading term, and why you can blame physics for your favorite team’s loss.

Single objects rarely change the course of an entire scientific field. Distant object GNz7q, a galaxy-quasar hybrid, might do exactly that.

A lucky discovery involving lithium-sulfur batteries has a legitimate chance to revolutionize how we power our world.

Archaic humans ventured into Eurasia in waves, not always successfully. They may have started their journey in North Africa or West Asia.

“Dead” satellites aren’t just space junk. They are also targets for hackers to hijack and use to broadcast misinformation.

U.S. nuclear power plants are built to survive external attacks. Even missiles or a commercial aircraft strike would not cause a meltdown or radiation leak.

Many atheists think of themselves as intellectually gifted individuals, guiding humanity on the path of reason. Scientific data shows otherwise.

A new, easy-to-use, $5-device helps address male infertility. It isolates healthy sperm cells based on their natural behavior.

An emerging field studies parasites that take over the nervous system of a host.

For some reason, the charges on the electron and proton are equal and opposite, and their numbers are equal, too. But why?

The Assam stone jars were described as early as 1929. Almost a century later, archaeologists still puzzle over their placement and purpose.

A new paper combines two concepts from the edges of astrophysics: Dyson Spheres and black holes. A Type III civilization could combine them.

This representation of the Bamum kingdom is a rare example of early 20th-century indigenous African cartography.

Intracellular bacteria promote cancer metastasis by enhancing the tumor cells’ resistance to mechanical stress in the bloodstream

Forget about the terawatt lasers we’re making on Earth. This natural one is thousands of times more powerful than the Sun.

There may be thousands of undiscovered mammal species in the world. Most are small, like bats and rodents, but there could be primates, too. A lifeline for Bigfoot enthusiasts?