EngineeringDecember 1, 2016
Lightning Strikes Are a Big Problem for Wind Turbines
See the high-voltage lab in Denmark exploring how to safeguard turbines from electrical surges
Stories by Karl J. P. Smith
Karl J.P. Smith is a AAAS Mass Media Fellow and current PhD candidate in biophysics, computation, and structural biology at the University of Rochester. He is the typewriting storyteller behind the 10 cent story project and is the co-creator of the Bench Warmer's Podcast.
Space & PhysicsNovember 1, 2016
How the Man in the Moon Got His Enormous Right Eye
A new estimate for the impactor that created the Imbrium Basin puts the rock at the size of New Jersey
BehaviorAugust 5, 2016
No One Wins Gold for Practicing the Most
A new study suggests there are limits to the “10,000-hour rule” and how far practice and hard work can take an athlete
BiologyAugust 5, 2016
Are We Reaching the End of World Records?
As we near the limits of human strength and speed, technology and culture keep moving the finish line
BiologyJuly 29, 2016
Stop and Smell the Flowers—but Be Ready to Gag [Video]
A two-meter-tall bloom at The New York Botanical Gardens exudes chemicals that mimic rotting flesh to attract pollinators
CultureJuly 28, 2016
Teaching Science with a Typewriter
How an outdated technology can turn kids on to learning about STEM concepts through narrative
PolicyJuly 8, 2016
Are Robots Still Just "Tools" When They Are Used to Kill?
Dallas police using a robot and explosives to kill a suspected shooter is nothing new or sinister, say law enforcement and robotics experts
BiologyJuly 7, 2016
Swordfish Grease Themselves to Cut through Water
A lubricating gland behind the “sword” may help explain the swimming mechanics and speed of the enigmatic fish
Climate ChangeJuly 1, 2016
Top U.S. Science Organizations Hammer Congress on Climate Change—Again
Scientists implore action and note rising bipartisan demands for action as heat waves and wildfires worsen
PolicyJune 22, 2016
Why the Science Community Says No to Brexit
Many fear a loss of funding, talent, business and collaboration, a former science minister says