Watch Now: Einstein's Scientific Revolution and the Limits of Quantum Theory
Cosmologist Lee Smolin says that at certain key points, the scientific worldview is based on fallacious reasoning
Stories by Jim Daley
Cuttlefish Are Dazzling, But Do They Dream?
The marine mollusks display behavior that resembles sleep, including cycles of rapid eye movement
Tests on Astronaut and Twin Brother Highlight Spaceflight's Human Impact
NASA Study reports physiological and behavioral results that could shape future space missions
Computers Turn an Ear on New York City
NYU’s “Sounds of New York City” project listens to the city—and then, with the help of citizen scientists, teaches machines to decode the soundscape. Jim Daley reports. ...
A Geological "Orrery" Could Reveal Planetary Dynamics in Deep Time
Paul Olsen drills into the Earth’s sedimentary record for clues about the evolution of the solar system
Cats Recognize Their Own Names—Even If They Choose to Ignore Them
Domestic felines distinguish between their monikers and similar-sounding words, new research shows
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Top news from around the world
Watch Now: Gravitational Waves as New Windows on the Universe
Astrophysicist Chad Hanna discusses how ripples in spacetime are revolutionizing our understanding of the cosmos
Study on Weed Killers and Monarch Butterflies Spurs Ecological Flap
Some scientists question museum data analysis that suggests Roundup is not responsible for the insects’ decline
Solar Jets Cause Standing Waves in Earth's Magnetic Field
When jets of charged particles from the sun hit our magnetosphere, some of the ensuing ripples travel toward the northern and southern poles and get reflected back. The resulting interference allows standing waves to form, like on a drumhead...
Infectious Diseases Spike amid Venezuela's Political Turmoil
Scientists say the rise in illnesses is due to a combination of government suppression of research, a lack of disease data and climate change
Did Crawling Critters Leave These Cracks? The Answer Could Rewrite Evolutionary History
Researchers say they found evidence life began moving 2.1 billion years ago, but that contentious conclusion is far from certain
Venezuela Is Unraveling—So Is Its Science
Research has ground to a halt, and many scientists have left the country out of desperation
Ancient Earth's Weakened Magnetic Field May Have Driven Mass Extinction
When our planet’s magnetosphere nearly disappeared 565 million years ago, it may have almost taken all life with it
Watch Now: Communicating the Universe's Complexity with Graphic Novels
Theoretical physicist Clifford V. Johnson discusses his eye-catching approach to sharing science with the public
Putting Solar Panels on Water Is a Great Idea—but Will It Float?
The U.S. has been slow to embrace the technology, even though Japan and China are zooming ahead
The Universe's Fate Rests on the Hubble Constant—Which Has So Far Eluded Astronomers
Scientists keep getting conflicting calculations of the expansion rate of the universe, but a new technique could help
Bitter Reality: Most Wild Coffee Species Risk Extinction Worldwide
Researchers surveyed the world’s 124 coffee species and found more than half are threatened
