All Stories

Chemistry

Sticky Silky Feet

The feet of zebra tarantulas can produce silk threads that may help them get a firmer grip.

Tech

Picture the Smell

To pinpoint smells, an electronic nose turns scents into colorful data.

Plants

Stalking Plants by Scent

A vine that feeds on other plants finds its victims by their smell.

Earth

Bugs with gas

Microbes living in sand under the sea may produce gases such as propane.

Animals

A seabird’s endless summer

Food plays an important part in the migration of seabirds and songbirds.

Fossils

Flying on Wings and Legs

An ancient bird had feathers on its legs that may have helped it fly.

Animals

How to silence a cricket

A killer fly stalks noise-making crickets in Hawaii.

Plants

A Change in Leaf Color

Leaves go to a lot of trouble to turn red in the fall.

Humans

Oldest Writing in the New World

Signs carved into a stone slab may represent the earliest known writing in the Americas.

Planets

A Puffy Planetary Puzzle

Astronomers spot an unusual object orbiting a nearby star.

Animals

Sea Giants and Island Pygmies

Food supply may help decide an animal's natural size on an island or in the ocean.

Brain

Copycat Monkeys

When you stick out your tongue, a baby monkey will follow your lead.