Chemistry
Let’s learn about the periodic table
This iconic chart holds information about all the known elements. As more are discovered, the table expands.
Featured Articles in this Issue
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Cover Story
Pets and other animals can boost health and well-being
Living with animals seems to provide some health benefits, from lower stress levels to a stronger immune system.
Explainer
Technically Fiction
Earth
Superman’s kryptonite doesn’t have a true equal on Earth
Though not quite kryptonite, some Earth minerals can glow under ultraviolet light. Excited electrons cause these real-life power stones to light up.
Profile
Animals
A childhood dog inspired this veterinarian to help others
Sunday Agbonika runs the organization Dogalov, which uses animals to help support neurodivergent children in Africa.
Features
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Pets and other animals can boost health and well-being
Living with animals seems to provide some health benefits, from lower stress levels to a stronger immune system.
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Rare earths’ hidden electrons make much of modern tech possible
Because of their unique chemistry, rare-earth elements can generate powerful magnetic fields and fine-tune light for a wide range of applications.
More Stories from the September 1, 2024 issue
- Planets
Pluto’s heart may hide the rocky wreckage of an ancient impact
A huge, rocky remnant beneath Pluto’s surface could explain the odd location of Sputnik Planitia — its famous heart-shaped basin.
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A new test could help weed out AI-generated text
AI text generators can help people cheat and spread false information. A clever yet simple technique may help separate bot-talk from real-talk.
- Climate
Climate change is changing how scientists measure time
Polar ice sheets are melting faster. This is slowing Earth’s spin, which changes how we sync our clocks to tell time.
- Health & Medicine
Cough! What happens when something goes down the wrong way
Certain cells can sense water and acid on the way to the lungs, prompting reactions such as coughing and swallowing, research in mice shows.
- Physics
Experiment: Measure the speed of light with a laser
Grab a laser pointer and some Jell-O, because today we’re measuring the speed of light.
- Materials Science
A bit of electricity can glue hard metals to soft materials
Using this method to stick and unstick metals from soft materials could one day create new types of batteries.
