Climate
Explainer: Earth’s water is all connected in one vast cycle
Water on Earth is connected in an endless loop called the water cycle.
Featured Articles in this Issue
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Cover Story
Rogue planets wander the galaxy all alone
Some planets don’t orbit stars. They were kicked into space long ago. The newest, smallest one found is only about as massive as Earth.
Explainer
Technically Fiction
Health & Medicine
Fighting spider-fear with a little Spider-Man
Many people are afraid of spiders or ants. Watching a movie clip with the critters in it might help make people more comfortable with them, a new study shows.
Profile
Space
Before working on spacecraft, this engineer overcame self-doubt
Tiera Fletcher once dreamed of working on spacecraft. Gaining confidence helped her become an engineer who designs vehicles for moon or Mars travel.
Features
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Whales get a second life as deep-sea buffets
When a whale dies and sinks to the seafloor, it becomes a feast for hundreds of different types of creatures.
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Rogue planets wander the galaxy all alone
Some planets don’t orbit stars. They were kicked into space long ago. The newest, smallest one found is only about as massive as Earth.
More Stories from the May 1, 2022 issue
- Animals
A million species could vanish, and people are to blame
Human activities are putting a million plant and animal species at risk of extinction, a new study finds. But it’s not too late to save many of them, scientists add.
- Animals
A new chameleon species may be the world’s tiniest reptile
The newly described reptiles live in the northern forests of Madagascar. Deforestation there may also leave them on the brink of extinction.
- Psychology
Can’t remember? Maybe you multitask too much between screens
Splitting your attention between devices can make it hard to create new memories, even when you’re not multitasking.
- Physics
How physics lets a toy boat float upside down
Buoyancy’s upward force keeps objects afloat even in unusual conditions.
- Tech
Ordinary paper turns into flexible human-powered keypad
Engineers have figured out how to turn sheets of paper into rugged, low-cost electronic devices, such as a computer keypad.
- Microbes
Check out the communities of bacteria living on your tongue
Bacteria scraped off the tongue offer a window into how the microbes structure their communities.
