Scientists Have Studied Static Electricity for Centuries and It Still Baffles Them
From clingy clothes to lightning bolts, static electricity is everywhere β yet the basic science behind it remains one of the most puzzling unsolved mysteries in physics.
The First Land Animals Never Had a Tadpole Stage, and That Rewrites Evolution
A tiny fossil sitting in a museum drawer for 60 years has overturned a long-held assumption about how ancient animals made the leap from water to land β and revealed that amphibian metamorphosis might be a newer invention than anyone thought.
The Mathematician Few Talk About Who Helped Build Modern Physics
Emmy Noether proved one of the most powerful theorems in all of science, yet most people have never heard of her. Her discovery about symmetry sits at the foundation of everything from Einstein's relativity to the physics of particles.
Growth Rings in Fossil Bones Reveal T. rex Spent 40 Years Becoming a Giant
A new study of 17 tyrannosaur fossils has overturned a long-held idea about how fast T. rex grew up β and raised big questions about whether some famous fossils are even T. rex at all.
Spinosaurus Was Built for Water, But Scientists Are Still Debating the Details
It was longer than a school bus, had a sail on its back, and hunted fish in prehistoric seas. Spinosaurus is one of paleontology's biggest mysteries β and the debate about how it lived is far from over.
Scientists Are Reinventing Pollen as a Sustainable Material for Medicine and Everyday Products
Pollen is best known for causing seasonal allergies, but researchers have found ways to transform its tough outer shell into paper, sponges, and even drug-delivery capsules. The science behind it could help create eco-friendly materials that replace some of the most resource-heavy products we use today.
Scientists Are Borrowing Nature's Best Tricks to Build Tomorrow's Technology
From lead-resistant lizards to ice-repelling polar bear fur, researchers are discovering how animals solve problems that humans have struggled with for years. These findings could lead to new medicines, materials, and machines.
Scientists Cracked a Key Mystery About Destroying βForever Chemicalsβ in Water
PFAS chemicals have plagued water supplies for decades because nothing could truly destroy them β until researchers identified a hidden process that might finally change that.
Scientists Turned Dairy and Tofu Waste Into Beads That Pull CO2 From the Air
Researchers at ETH Zurich have created tiny, reusable beads made from food manufacturing waste that capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere more efficiently than most existing technologies.
Scientists Created a Material Inspired by Staples That Can Lock Solid or Fall Apart in Seconds
Researchers at CU Boulder discovered that staple-shaped particles can tangle together into a surprisingly strong material β and then unravel just as fast using vibrations. The discovery could change how we build structures and design robots.
Bananas Are Scientifically Berries, but Strawberries Are Not β Here Is Why
The fruits you call berries are probably not berries at all, and the ones you would never guess actually are. Plant scientists have a very specific definition, and it changes everything.
Earth's Core Is as Hot as the Sun's Surface β Here's How Scientists Know
Nobody has ever visited Earth's core, yet scientists have figured out it reaches temperatures of up to 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The clever techniques they used to discover this are just as fascinating as the discovery itself.