Science

The Remarkable Versatility of Tonic Water

How an antimalarial medicine became a cocktail sensation

• Nicola Twilley, Cynthia Graber, and Gastropod
• February 15, 2020

The Cascading Consequences of the Worst Disease Ever

Nature is clearly in crisis—but what do researchers do when they only have imperfect data on the extent of the losses?

• Ed Yong
• February 13, 2020

How Hospitals Changed Their Approach to Stillbirth

Grieving patients are encouraged to see and hold their stillborn infants—and in some cases even bring them home.

• Sarah Zhang
• February 12, 2020

‘We Knew They Had Cooked the Books’

The Trump administration’s attempt to kill one of America’s strongest climate policies has been a complete debacle.

• Robinson Meyer
• February 12, 2020

Why SpaceX Wants a Tiny Texas Neighborhood So Badly

The residents of Boca Chica didn’t ask Elon Musk to move in, but now his company is taking over.

• Marina Koren
• February 11, 2020

NASA Will Only Tolerate So Much Danger

An investigation into what really went wrong with Boeing's last space mission turned up serious issues.

• Marina Koren
• February 10, 2020

The Night Sky Will Never Be the Same

Elon Musk’s plan for worldwide internet has sent bright artificial, lights streaking through the dark.

• Marina Koren
• February 6, 2020

After 2,000 Years, These Seeds Have Finally Sprouted

Six date seeds as old as the Dead Sea Scrolls are now flourishing as trees on a kibbutz.

• Sarah Zhang
• February 5, 2020

The New Coronavirus Is a Truly Modern Epidemic

New diseases are mirrors that reflect how a society works—and where it fails.

• Ed Yong
• February 3, 2020

McDonald’s Is Inescapable

How did a tiny teen hangout become one of the world’s most ubiquitous sources of food?

• Nicola Twilley, Cynthia Graber, and Gastropod
• February 2, 2020

A Virus With a Deadly Boring Name

2019-nCoV isn't going to cut it long term.

• Sarah Zhang
• January 31, 2020

Fall in Love With the Sun Again

The newest images of the sun are so mesmerizing, it’s hard to stop staring.

• Marina Koren
• January 30, 2020

The New Video of One of the Scariest Places on Earth

For the first time, scientists have a clear view of the line where the giant Thwaites Glacier is leaking water into the ocean.

• Robinson Meyer
• January 30, 2020

The Deceptively Simple Number Sparking Coronavirus Fears

Here’s what the oft-cited R0 number tells us about the new outbreak—and what it doesn’t.

• Ed Yong
• January 28, 2020

A Graveyard of Giant Spacecraft Spins Through Space

After observatories retire, they can still spend hundreds, even millions, of years trailing the Earth.

• Marina Koren
• January 27, 2020

A Twist in the 2,000-Year-Old Mystery of Herculaneum

Scientists have long thought that the 340 victims of Mount Vesuvius died instantly. But a new analysis suggests they suffered a slower demise.

• Alla Katsnelson and Sapiens
• January 26, 2020

There’s a Perfectly Good Reason to Mass-Produce Snake Venom

Lab-grown glands can now produce realistic cocktails of toxins, which could help address one of the world’s biggest and most neglected health crises.

• Ed Yong
• January 23, 2020

The Biggest Celestial Event of the Year Could Happen Tomorrow

... or, well, maybe not for 100,000 years

• Marina Koren
• January 23, 2020

A Climate-Lawsuit Dissent That Changed My Mind

Twenty-one children brought a lawsuit arguing that the government needs to act on climate change. A federal court dismissed it.

• Robinson Meyer
• January 22, 2020

A Menu of Invasive Species

One approach to dealing with unwanted plants and animals: Eat them.

• Nicola Twilley, Cynthia Graber, and Gastropod
• January 20, 2020