Public HealthApril 17, 2018
The Spice of Death: The Science behind Tainted “Synthetic Marijuana”
Experts describe how rat poison linked to a recent bleeding outbreak does its damage
Stories by Devin Powell
Devin Powell is a freelance science journalist living in New York City. His work has been published by the New York Times, the Washington Post, Nature, National Geographic, Smithsonian and a variety of other news outlets.
BiologySeptember 7, 2017
Dissolve the Dead? Controversy Swirls around Liquid Cremation
California state bill seeks to legalize liquefaction of corpses
BiologyAugust 25, 2017
Sex Battle in the Sky: Genetically Modified Moths to Take Flight in New York
Male bugs with time bomb gene could sire sterile females in a possible alternative to chemical pesticides
PolicyDecember 5, 2016
Trump's First 100 Days: Science Education and Schools
The new administration will champion controversial school choice policy and potentially undermine the teaching of evolution and climate change
BehaviorOctober 1, 2016
Scientists Should Speak Out More
Engaging the public has long been taboo in scientific circles, but social media outlets are starting to force a change
September 10, 2013
Physicists Net Fractal Butterfly
A decades-old search has closed in on the recursive pattern that describes electron behavior
The SciencesSeptember 5, 2013
Can Matter Cycle through Shapes Eternally?
Physicist Frank Wilczek's proposal for 'time crystals' has been challenged but he has doubled down
Space & PhysicsSeptember 3, 2013
Moon Mission to Suck Up Lunar Dust
The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer orbiter will analyze the moon's atmosphere and help solve the mystery of its glowing horizons
July 18, 2013
Lasers Boost Space Communications
Optical systems are set to handle planetary science's big data
Space & PhysicsJuly 11, 2013
First Distant Planet to Be Seen in Color Is Blue
The Hubble Space Telescope was used to measure visible light from one of the best-studied planets outside our solar system, HD 189733 b
TechnologyJune 20, 2013
Pin-Size Battery Printed in 3-D
A miniature lithium ion device could power medical devices or miniature robots
The SciencesJune 19, 2013
Particle Containing 4 Quarks Is Confirmed for First Time
The quark quartet opens a fresh vista on matter
The SciencesJune 13, 2013
Optical Circuits: Single Photon Flips Transistor Switch
Photons emerge as competitors to electrons in new computer circuits
March 5, 2013
Commercial Space Race Heats Up as Antares Creeps Up on Falcon 9 Rocket
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket currently is NASA's cargo hauler to the International Space Station, but Orbital Sciences is set for an April test flight of its Antares rocket
October 25, 2012
Pioneering Battery-Maker Files for Bankruptcy
A123 Systems, which commercialized different approaches to lithium ion rechargeable batteries, went under after an 11-year run