All Stories by Maria Temming
- Physics
How physics lets a toy boat float upside down
Buoyancy’s upward force keeps objects afloat even in unusual conditions.
- Space
Strange but true: White dwarfs shrink as they gain mass
Telescope observations of thousands of these stars now confirm a decades-old theory on how their masses relate to their waistline.
- Environment
Australian wildfires pumped smoke to record heights
Wildfires in Australia in late December and early January spurred an unusual smoke plume that still hasn’t fully dispersed.
- Tech
Wiggly wheels might help rovers plow through loose lunar soils
New design lets wheels ascend hills too steep for regular robots and paddle through loose soils without getting stuck.
- Animals
Traces from nuclear-weapons tests offer clues to whale sharks’ ages
Traces left by nuclear-bomb testing in the 1950s and ‘60s can help researchers learn how old a whale shark is.
- Environment
Legos could last a disturbingly long time in the ocean
By looking at toys washed up on beaches, scientists have estimated how long it takes hard plastics to break down in the oceans. And it’s a long time.
- Earth
Newfound ‘dunes’ is among weirdest of northern lights
There’s a new aurora dubbed the 'dunes.' It’s weird and joins the ranks of black auroras, STEVE and other odd natural light shows.
- Archaeology
3-D printing helps resurrect an ancient Egyptian mummy’s voice
A 3-D printed mold of a mummy’s vocal tract reveals what the mummy may sound like today.
- Earth
Help for a world drowning in microplastics
Microplastic pollution in our oceans and lakes is a problem. Scientists are testing solutions — from more biodegradable recipes to nanotechnology.
- Physics
First heavy element identified from a neutron-star collision
Scientists have at last witnessed newborn strontium in the afterglow of a neutron-star smashup. It confirms what they had suspected about how many massive stars are created.
- Planets
Astronomers spot new type of storm on Saturn
These storms are bigger and longer lasting than squalls but not nearly as massive as this planet's Great White Spots.
- Tech
This device uses the cold night sky to generate electricity
A new device uses the temperature difference between Earth and outer space to create electricity after dark. Powering a lamp, it would be the ultimate night light.
