Natural Disasters
Why Was Afghanistan’s Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake So Devastating?
Famed seismologist Lucy Jones explains how building methods and quake dynamics interact—and what to do about the problem
Stories by Sasha Warren
Behavior
People May Pick Friends Who Smell Like Them
Similar body odors might determine if two strangers will “click.”
Space Exploration
New Maps of Milky Way Are Biggest and Best Yet
The latest data release from the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission is sparking a frenzy of exciting new astrophysics research
Pollution
Ocean Oil Slick Map Reveals Enough Greasy Patches to Cover France—Twice
An algorithm-aided analysis of satellite images reveals the size, distribution and sources of oil slicks at sea
Animals
Wiggling Whiskers Help Hungry Seals Hunt in the Dark
A new seal’s-eye view shows these specialized hairs in motion at sea
