Earth
Explainer: Understanding plate tectonics
Plate tectonics is the process whereby Earth continually rebuilds itself — and causes destructive events like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Featured Articles in this Issue
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Cover Story
‘Lucid’ dreamers could solve mysteries about sleeping minds
People who know they’re asleep while dreaming could help study how sleeping minds create elaborate alternate realities.
Explainer
Technically Fiction
Tech
Where are the flying cars?
Flying cars are a common sci-fi trope, and engineers have the technology to make them. So where are they?
Profile
Fossils
This paleontologist studies ancient mammal movement — virtually
Anne Kort uses computers to piece together the fossils of ancient mammals. Studying fossils virtually offers her more ways to study fragile remains.
Features
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‘Lucid’ dreamers could solve mysteries about sleeping minds
People who know they’re asleep while dreaming could help study how sleeping minds create elaborate alternate realities.
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Neutrons are unveiling hidden secrets of fossils and artifacts
Images made with these particles have revealed details of dinosaur bones, mummies and more.
More Stories from the August 1, 2024 issue
- Chemistry
Here’s why teens’ body odor can be especially strong
The body odors of teens and younger kids share dozens of chemicals in common. But teens have some that infants and toddlers appear to lack.
- Animals
Scientists still aren’t always sure why dogs wag their tails
Your dog is wagging its tail. That must mean it’s happy, right? Maybe not. Scientists know less about what’s behind this behavior than you might think.
- Plants
On hot summer days, this thistle stays cool to the touch
Its yellow flowers can cool themselves substantially, staying up to 10 degrees C (18 degrees F) cooler in extreme heat.
- Space
Check out the magnetic fields around our galaxy’s central black hole
Astronomers have captured polarized light coming from the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole. This offers insight into its magnetic fields.
- Chemistry
Experiment: How to make the boldest, brightest tie-dye!
Clothes are made from a variety of fibers, from natural to synthetic ones. Let’s explore how different fibers react with dyes.
- Animals
See how hummingbirds sneak through small spaces
Anna’s hummingbirds can use a couple of different techniques to get through gaps smaller than their wingspan.
