Author posts
Ten “keys to reality” from a Nobel-winning physicist
To understand ourselves and our place in the universe, "we should have humility but also self-respect," Frank Wilczek writes in a new book.
"What to Expect When You’re Expecting Robots"
New book explores a future populated with robot helpers.
Artificial intelligence model detects asymptomatic Covid-19 infections through cellphone-recorded coughs
The researchers trained the model on tens of thousands of samples of coughs, as well as spoken words.
Did our early ancestors boil their food in hot springs?
Scientists have found evidence of hot springs near sites where ancient hominids settled, long before the control of fire.
Can a quantum strategy help bring down the house?
Study finds quantum entanglement could, in principle, give a slight advantage in the game of blackjack.
In a first, astronomers watch a black hole’s corona disappear, then reappear
A colliding star may have triggered the drastic transformation.
Study: Reflecting sunlight to cool the planet will cause other global changes
Solar geoengineering ideas could weaken storms in both hemispheres, scientists find.
Engineers 3D print soft, rubbery brain implants
Technique may enable speedy, on-demand design of softer, safer neural devices.
Study: Life might survive, and thrive, in a hydrogen world
When searching for extraterrestrial life, astronomers may want to look at planets with hydrogen-rich atmospheres.
Energy-harvesting design aims to turn Wi-Fi signals into usable power
Device for harnessing terahertz radiation might enable self-powering implants, cellphones, other portable electronics.
The growth of an organism rides on a pattern of waves
Study shows ripples across a newly fertilized egg are similar to ocean and atmospheric circulations.
How to deflect an asteroid
MIT engineers devise a decision map to identify the best mission type to deflect an incoming asteroid.
How long will a volcanic island live?
Plate tectonics and mantle plumes set the lifespan of volcanic islands like Hawaii and the Galapagos.
Scientists detect tones in the ringing of a newborn black hole for the first time
Results support Einstein's theory and the idea that black holes have no "hair."
“Blind” Cheetah 3 robot can climb stairs littered with obstacles
The new design could help the robot explore disaster zones and other dangerous environments.
Breaching a “carbon threshold” could lead to mass extinction
Study finds that carbon dioxide emissions may trigger a reflex in the carbon cycle, with devastating consequences.
An escape route for carbon
Study shows minerals sequester carbon for thousands of years, which may explain oxygen's abundance in the atmosphere.
Study of quark speeds finds a solution for a 35-year physics mystery
Number of proton-neutron pairs determine how fast the particles move, results suggest.
Study: Much of the surface ocean will shift in color by end of 21st century
Climate-driven changes in phytoplankton communities will intensify the blue and green regions of the world’s oceans.
Technique identifies electricity-producing bacteria
Microbes screened with a new microfluidic process might be used in power generation or environmental cleanup.
How Earth sheds heat into space
New insights into the role of water vapor may help researchers predict how the planet will respond to warming.
