All Stories
- Archaeology
American democracy arrived long before Columbus did
Indigenous peoples of the Americas developed self-rule long before the pilgrims arrived or the U.S. Constitution was written.
- Computing
Sleep helps AI models learn new things without forgetting old ones
Breaks in training meant to mimic human sleep helped artificial intelligence learn multiple tasks.
- Animals
Prairie voles can couple up even without the ‘love hormone’
Scientists thought the chemical oxytocin was required to make prairie voles mate. They were wrong.
- Earth
Scientists Say: Seismology
Seismology is the branch of science focused on seismic waves — vibrations that run through or around Earth.
- Health & Medicine
Explainer: Why it’s easier to get sick in the winter
Low humidity helps viruses survive, and cold weather blunts some of the body’s immune responses — making colds and other viral infections more likely.
- Physics
Explainer: Kinetic and potential energy
Kinetic energy depends on an object’s motion; potential energy hinges on its position. The relationship between the two sits in a special balance.
- Physics
Does the size of a parachute matter?
How does a parachute work? Do bigger parachutes work better than smaller parachutes? Find out in this science project whether the size of the parachute matters.
- Tech
Think twice before using ChatGPT for help with homework
ChatGPT is a new AI tool that generates well-formed writing and code. Despite many benefits, it makes cheating easy and can supply bad information.
- Tech
New robot can pick up a single drop of liquid
The new device, which looks like a pair of plastic pinchers, is the first to be able to pick up individual droplets of liquid.
- Humans
Let’s learn about Neandertals
Neandertals are an extinct species closely related to modern humans. They made tools and jewelry, controlled fires and cared for their sick.
- Materials Science
Scientists Say: Hydrogel
Tangled polymer chains help hydrogels hold their shape despite being full of water.
- Environment
Protecting forests may help head off future pandemics
Hungry bats are more likely to shed harmful viruses to people or livestock when they spread out to hunt food. Conserving forests may limit this risk.
