
Here’s the Happiness Research that Stands Up to Scrutiny
From meditation to smiling, researchers take a second look at studies claiming to reveal what makes us happy
Science writer Amber Dance lives in the Los Angeles area.

Here’s the Happiness Research that Stands Up to Scrutiny
From meditation to smiling, researchers take a second look at studies claiming to reveal what makes us happy

Behold the ‘Borg’: Massive DNA Structures Perplex Scientists
Researchers say they have discovered unique and exciting DNA strands in the mud; others are not sure of their novelty

Why It’s So Hard to Make Antiviral Drugs for COVID and Other Diseases
Antibiotics abound, but virus-fighting drugs are harder to come by. Fortunately, scientists are getting better at making and finding them

Molecular Medicine Keeps Mice Mighty in Microgravity
An experimental gene treatment aboard the International Space Station demonstrates how rodents—and humans—might stay buff beyond Earth

The Unexpected Diversity of Pain
It comes in many types that each require specialized treatment, and scientists are learning to diagnose different varieties

As CBD Skyrockets in Popularity, Scientists Scramble to Understand How It’s Metabolized
Everything from bacon consumption to kidney function can skew cannabidiol dosing

The Pain Gap
After decades of assuming that pain processing is equivalent in all sexes, scientists are finding that different biological pathways can produce an “ouch!”

Animals Use Brain Tricks to See in the Dark
Many animals once thought to have poor sight in low light use tricks in their nervous systems to see brilliantly in the dark

Animal Cameras
For self-driving cars, Toyota tries cameras inspired by creatures with great night vision

How the Samoan Tattoo Survived Colonialism
Several factors, from geography to group identity, helped this traditional body art endure—even as similar practices were lost in other cultures

Quest for Clues to Humanity's First Fires
How and when our ancestors mastered flames remains a hotly debated question. Researchers are hunting for answers buried in ancient ash and baked soils

Live Fast, Die Young
Research into aging requires patience, but a small cadre of scientists is angling to speed up answers by developing the flamboyant, short-lived turquoise killifish as a new mode

A Massive Global Effort Maps How the Brain Is Wired
With innovative tools, connectome scientists are tracing the superhighways and footpaths of the brain

NASA Scientists Fight Budget Cuts with "Bake Sale"
The sale is a protest of plans in President Obama's 2013 budget request to cut 21 percent from NASA's planetary science budget, and 38 percent from its Mars projects

Notion in Motion: Wireless Sensors Monitor Brain Waves on the Fly
Electroencephalography used to require a person to sit still while a computer tracked the brain's electrical impulses. A newer technology untethers this research

Slide Show: 7 Artificial Valves That Lend Hearts a Helping Hand
For the past five decades, artificial heart-valve designs have evolved to successfully replace natural valves, which often begin to leak or harden over time