Planet busters: We asked a physicist what it would take to obliterate Earth
The planet-busting nuclear bomb is a classic science fiction trope. But is it really possible to build a nuke big enough to obliterate the globe?
Scientists want to blanket the Earth in sensors. Their secret weapon? Moths
Manually installing sensors in every nook and cranny of Earth's surface would take eons. But what if we enlisted the help of our insect friends?
There’s a way to weaken hurricanes, but scientists say it’s too crazy to try
There's a weird natural phenomenon that helps to weaken hurricanes destined for the United States. What if we could re-create that phenomenon ourselves?
Scientists revive 100-million-year-old microbes, insist it’s totally safe
Researchers are reviving deep-sea microbes that have been dormant for millions of years, since the time of the dinosaurs.
NASA to send a huge balloon into the stratosphere for deep-space research
NASA is planning to attach a telescope to a massive balloon before sending it into the stratosphere for a science mission with a range of goals.
CERN wants to build an even larger super-collider to research particle physics
CERN wants to build an enormous new super collider to smash atoms together at tremendous speeds to learn more about the mysteries of particle physics.
Brainwave-reading temporary tattoos could take wearable tech to the next level
Researchers in Europe have developed electrode-sporting temporary tattoos that may one day be used to read brainwaves. Here's why they could be a game-changer.
Avatar IRL? Scientists crack the code to bioengineering plants that glow
In James Cameron's movie Avatar, the plants on alien world Pandora glow like some underwater paradise. Now researchers have found a way to do that for real.
Could cellular seafood take pressure off Earth’s overfished oceans?
These biotech companies want to produce seafood without the sea. Here's how they're doing it -- and why they believe that it's going to be a game-changer.
Hacking photosynthesis: Could artificial leaves fuel the future?
As demand for renewable energy sources increases, researchers have turned to leaves to develop a technology that replicates photosynthesis: the process plants use to convert sunlight, water, and CO2 into energy
Lab-grown snake venom glands are here. Don’t worry, they’re for a good cause
Milking snakes for their venom is a crucial part of the process when it comes to making antivenoms. Could genetic engineering make things a whole lot easier? That's what researchers at Utrecht University in the Netherlands believe -- and they've created the organoid to prove it.
Facebook’s ‘brain-computer interface’ could let you type with your mind
Facebook talked a couple of years ago about creating technology that lets you type with your mind. Aimed primarily at patients with speech loss due to paralysis or some other chronic condition, the company recently offered an update on how its ambitious project is progressing.
Scientists created a pair of contacts that zoom in when you blink
Ever wish your eyes came with a zoom lens? Soon they might. Scientists at the University of California San Diego have successfully created a pair of contact lenses measure signals sent by the electrical impulses of eye movement, and can zoom in on something when you blink twice.
How a clever photography trick is bringing Seattle’s shipwrecks to the surface
Photogrammetry uses hundreds of photos that are stitched together to make a realistic model of objects. Members of the Global Underwater Explorers, including Kees Beemster Leverenz, use the technique to make models of ships and planes that are sunk in the waters around Seattle.
As oceans rise, one company is building cities that can swim
Floating cities may remind some people of science fiction scenarios like the 1995 post-apocalyptic movie Waterworld, but a new enterprise introduced to the United Nations envisions a high-tech, scalable floating city that could use extreme recycling, energy efficiency and communal design.
Cheese tastes different when it listens to Led Zeppelin, Swiss study finds
A funky new study says that exposing cheese to music changes its aroma and flavor. What’s more, the genre of music matters. Researchers from the Bern University of Arts played music to nine, 22-pound wheels of Emmental cheese, a semi-firm variety of Swiss cheese popular in Europe.
Science attempts to settle a long-running dispute among Brits
It's an issue about which every Brit has a strong opinion; one that can lead to lively conversations and even heated arguments. In a worst-case scenario, it can descend into a slanging match full of expletives. In a bid to settle the dispute once and for all, a BBC show recently called on a scientist.
MIT science photographer isn’t an artist, but her work could fill galleries
Presenting scientific research to the public isn't often easy, but having strong visuals can really help. Science photographer Felice Frankel doesn't call herself an artist, but her work has appeared in major publications and helped countless researchers communicate their findings.
In a weighty decision, scientists prepare to redefine the kilogram
Metrologists are meeting at the General Conference on Weights and Measures in Versailles to vote on whether to redefine the kilogram as a constant that can be observed in the natural world. Rather than defined by a block of metal, weights will be expressed in terms of the Planck constant (h).
Here’s who won the 2018 Nobel Prizes in Science and why
Thanks to the achievements of this year's winners of the Nobel Prizes in physics, chemistry, and medicine, we can better fight caner, probe quantum biology, and manufacture greener chemicals. One winner also includes the first female recipient in physics in 55 years.
A treasure trove of 3D scientific specimens is now free to see online
Thanks to the California Academy of Sciences, you can access more than 700 scientific specimens and artifacts from its world-class collection via the online 3D and virtual reality platform Sketchfab. The collection includes items like an assortment of rare bones, Navajo bracelets, and intricate basketry.
Scientists hunt meteorites in Antarctica with metal-detecting snowmobiles
On the hunt for lost meteorites in Antarctica, researchers from the U.K. have turned to metal-detecting technology to help.
Stephen Hawking’s last paper may lead to proof of a multiverse
Sadly, Stephen Hawking is no longer with us, but his legacy of discovery will live on. His final paper may even lead to proof of a multiverse
Blasting your brain with sound, pulses can help quiet the din of tinnitus
Researchers have developed a device to fight the effects of tinnitus by using sounds and electrical pulses to reset nerve cells in the brain.
The biggest, baddest, and most incredible scientific breakthroughs of 2017
2017 was a monumental year for science, so we rounded up some of the craziest achievements of the year for your perusal. Enjoy!
The best accidental inventions prove sometimes it’s better not to try
Not all discoveries are the product of careful research and development. These five accidental inventions changed civilization as we know it.
Surf’s up! New information reveals the science behind Kelly Slater’s wave pool
While the execution of Kelly Slater's wave pool appears simple, new information reveals a surprising amount of science behind it.
Electronics that repair themselves might be possible with new liquid metal transitor
A new design of room-temperature liquid metal transistor made with a new kind of alloy could herald flexible and self-repairing electronics.
Google redesigns its Science Journal app as a digital science notebook
Google's Science Journal app measures and records data in real time. Users can also take notes and add photos to a digital science notebook.
These amazing science fair projects make your potato battery look prehistoric
From flying robots and a Lego spacecraft, to a device that helps people with Alztheimers, these are our favorite science fair projects.
Here are the names and achievements behind this year’s Nobel Prizes in Science
The Nobel Prizes in Science are among the greatest awards a scientist can get. Here's a quick rundown of 2017's winners and what they achieved
This revolutionary material could be the key to self-repairing smartphone screens
It's a major bummer when you shatter your phone's screen on hard concrete. But scientists have the answer: A display that repairs itself.