Space & Physics
New Space Radiation Limits Needed for NASA Astronauts, Report Says
Although meant to minimize risks to human health, the proposed new limits would still be exceeded by any conceivable near-future crewed voyage to Mars
Stories by Ramin Skibba
Space & Physics
Planet Nine Could Be a Mirage
Mysterious patterns in orbits of small bodies in the outer solar system could arise from the gravity of a massive disk of icy debris rather than an undiscovered giant world
Space & Physics
Oddball Galaxy Puts Dark Matter Theory to the Test
Critical responses have broadsided a study claiming the discovery of a galaxy missing evidence of invisible mass
Space & Physics
Decades-Old Data Unveils Plumes Spewing from Europa
Archived observations from NASA’s Galileo spacecraft all but confirm the Jovian moon’s subsurface ocean is within reach of future life-seeking missions
Space & Physics
Enceladus Could Be Teeming with Methane-Belching Microbes
New lab experiments suggest a particular microorganism could be the source of methane emanating from the oceanic depths of Saturn’s icy moon
Space & Physics
Olympic Big Air Snowboarders Use Physics to Their Advantage
The PyeongChang Winter Games will debut big air snowboarding, where athletes who master the laws of physics will be most likely to medal and avoid injury
Biology
Bat Banter is Surprisingly Nuanced
Egyptian fruit bats’ calls contain information about food, sleeping arrangements and mating attempts
Biology
Geneticists Hope to Unlock Secrets of Bats’ Complex Sounds
Project to sequence the DNA of more than 1,000 species seeks to reveal how bats learn to communicate
Behavior
Does Smiling Make Cartoons Funnier?
Multi-lab experiment fails to validate a decades-old report that facial expressions can affect emotional state
Climate Change
Climate Change Could Flip Mediterranean Lands to Desert
Warming beyond 2 ºC could send the region's forests moving north, and cause extensive drying
Space & Physics
Kepler Finds Scores of Planets around Cool Dwarf Stars
NASA’s rebooted mission, K2, seeks out new worlds closely orbiting stars smaller than the sun
Behavior
The Polling Crisis: How to Tell What People Really Think
This year’s U.S. presidential election is the toughest test yet for political polls as experts struggle to keep up with changing demographics and technology
Space & Physics
OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft Blazes Trail for Asteroid Miners
Retrieval of a space rock sample would be proof of concept for mining metals and water
Evolution
Tiny Pterosaur Claims New Perch on Reptile Family Tree
Fossils find suggests that cat-size reptile lived alongside birds and larger pterosaurs
Policy
Why Expanding Marijuana Research Matters
A recent federal policy change may boost development of treatments derived from the drug
Policy
Scholarly Olympics: How the Games Have Shaped Research
A graphical guide to the impact of the Olympics on science
Computing
Atom Wranglers Create Rewritable Memory
Chlorine atom grids outperform state-of-the-art hard disk drives by orders of magnitude
Culture
Poor Musical Taste? Blame Your Upbringing
Culture and experiences shape what sounds pleasing more than biology does, a study says
Environment
Saving Iran's Precious Lake Urmia
Iranian botanist Hossein Akhani wants to save this ecological treasure before it vanishes entirely
