The Messy Reality of Elon Musk’s Space City
SpaceX’s explosive launch covered a Texas town in grime. It’s the latest dustup in the company’s unneighborly saga.
How to Build Manhattan in Space
First, you’ll need an asteroid and a very big bag.
How I Got Bamboo-zled by Baby Clothes
So soft, so stretchy, so breathable? “Bamboo” is just an old fabric rebranded as something new and magical.
I Ruined Two Birthday Parties and Learned the Limits of Psychology
A primer on how not to talk to strangers
The Sea-Urchin Murderer Has Finally Been Apprehended
Most such mysteries go unsolved. But in this case, a crack team of scientists quickly found a culprit.
Lush Prairies Could Really Be ‘Green Deserts’
Climate change is stripping plants of their nutrients. That could be a disaster for the animals who feed on them.
Climate Change Could Remake Tides
As sea levels rise, once-dramatic tides might mellow. What does that mean for tidal power?
Elon Musk’s Explosive Day
First SpaceX blew up a rocket. Then Musk blew up Twitter’s verification system.
Meet the World’s Most Hard-Core Nappers
Elephant seals survive on only two hours of sleep. Why can’t we?
Do Not Allow Even One Fruit Fly Into Your Kitchen Compost
Collecting food scraps in your kitchen can invite insect invaders. But there are plenty of ways to outsmart them.
Why Does Contact Say So Much About God?
Carl Sagan’s novel is an unexpected lesson in faith.
Animals Are Migrating to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The oceanic soup of plastic fragments is becoming a new kind of ecosystem.
We’re in Denial About Our Dogs
Pets love beaches—and wreak havoc on their wildlife.
The Mirror Test Is Broken
Either fish are self-aware or scientists need to rethink how they study animal cognition.
Medicine Has a Rat Problem
It’s stranger than you think.
Nutrition Science’s Most Preposterous Result
Studies show a mysterious health benefit to ice cream. Scientists don’t want to talk about it.
Conservation Tends to Ignore the Most Common Type of Life
The field frets about endangered polar bears and tigers. Why not also bacteria?
Why California Can’t Catch a Break
After years of drought, much of the state is in a climate lull. But it won’t last.
Otters Are Returning to Polluted Areas. It’s Not a Happy Ending.
They’re now as toxic as their environment.
The Flu May Never Be the Same
Scientists haven’t spotted one of influenza’s most mysterious lineages for more than three years. Is it truly gone?