Your Life Story Is Growing on Your Head
What archaeologists are learning from the hair of dead people
Life Up Close
The Dolphin Myth That Refuses to Die
Brazil’s pink river dolphins have long gotten blamed for all sorts of heinous crimes.
Tires Are a Hidden Environmental Nuisance
The pollution that cars emit goes beyond what spews from their tailpipe.
Where Will the Next Big Flood Hit?
An army of volunteers is helping forecasters predict disasters before they strike.
Pandemic Data Are About to Go Sideways
States are likely to report fewer coronavirus cases, but not because things are getting better.
A Tragic Beginning to the Holiday Season
COVID-19 hospitalizations have been at a record high for more than two weeks, and daily deaths have exceeded 2,000 for the first time since May.
The Weekly Planet: A Start-Up’s Unusual Plan to Suck Carbon Out of the Sky
An online-payments company may fund more carbon removal than anyone else.
A Plan to Save Wildlife May Have Done More Harm Than Good
Banning the trade of vulnerable species sometimes makes them more vulnerable.
The Final Pandemic Surge Is Crashing Over America
For the first time, the U.S. recorded 1 million COVID-19 cases in one week.
The Tragedy of a Ruined Telescope
One of the world’s most beloved observatories is being demolished before its time.
How Many Americans Are About to Die?
A new analysis shows that the country is on track to pass spring’s grimmest record.
The End of the Pandemic Is Now in Sight
A year of scientific uncertainty is over. Two vaccines look like they will work, and more should follow.
Hospitals Can’t Go On Like This
Twenty-two percent of American hospitals don’t have enough workers right now.
The Weekly Planet: What Donald Trump Taught the Electric-Car Industry
Tesla, Uber, and utilities are consolidating their power in Washington.
Cancel Thanksgiving
This is a moment for creativity.
SpaceX’s Riskiest Business
Launching astronauts into space means being responsible for their safety.
The Alaska Tsunami That Can’t Be Stopped
Melting ice has left one small town on the brink of disaster.
Sexual Attraction Is the Oldest Story on Earth
When one cell drifts by another cell, pheromones fly.
The Worst Day of the Pandemic Since May
COVID-19 hospitalizations are now at an all-time high.
Europa’s Mysterious Glow
Strange things could happen when radiation meets the icy surface of one of Jupiter’s moons.
The Weekly Planet: 5 Ways to Think About Biden and Climate Change
He could have the best chance to fight carbon pollution of any American leader in a decade.
How Trump Sold Failure to 70 Million People
The president convinced many voters that his response to the pandemic was not a disaster. The psychology of medical fraud is simple, timeless, and tragic.