Astrophysics
Weird Supernova Remnant Blows Scientists’ Minds
Fireworks display from rare dying star is unlike anything astronomers have seen
Stories by Shannon Hall
Epidemiology
New Omicron Variants Are Here—What We Know So Far
The variants appear to sneak past the immune system, but vaccines will likely continue to hold strong
Geology
The Milky Way’s Spiral Arms May Have Carved Earth’s Continents
A controversial new theory suggests the Milky Way galaxy’s arms sent comets hurtling toward early Earth, where impacts built new continental crust
Planetary Science
Webb Telescope Finds Carbon Dioxide on a Distant Exoplanet
The result offers a sneak peek at the observatory’s transformative potential for studying worlds beyond the solar system
Epidemiology
Long COVID in Children Appears Less Common Than Early Fears Suggested
Although the risk of long COVID is not insignificant, it is much lower than previously thought
Space & Physics
NASA Will Map Every Living Thing on the International Space Station
Surveying the billions of tiny microbial astronauts that dwell within the orbital laboratory could help us prepare for human voyages to Mars
Space & Physics
Model Suggests Toxic Transformation on Venus
A recent study shows how Venus could have explosively changed from habitable to deadly
Public Health
Babies’ Mysterious Resilience to Coronavirus Intrigues Scientists
COVID-19 is often mild in infants. Learning why could help scientists better understand the disease—and point the way toward possible treatments
Environment
Biggest Ever Yellowstone Eruption Revealed
The ancient supervolcano under the national park was much more explosive in its early history and could be slowing down, a new study suggests
Natural Disasters
Researchers Claim Rainfall Triggered Kilauea Eruption, but Others Remain Skeptical
Heavy rains may have put pressure on the Hawaiian volcano’s underground plumbing, setting off its major 2018 eruption
Environment
Colorado River Is in Danger of a Parched Future
The river is due to lose up to 31 percent of its flow by midcentury—an alarming trend that could affect 40 million people
Engineering
Kilometers of “Dark Cable” Form the Newest Seismic Sensors
Fiber-optic cables stretching below cities, through glaciers and along the seafloor could record earthquakes and more
Space & Physics
Newfound “Ablating” Exoplanets Could Reveal Alien Geology
By probing close-in worlds, the discovery will help astronomers better understand how planets form and evolve
Space & Physics
Lights Out: Astronomers Illuminate the Mystery of Vanishing Quasars
A new census of the universe’s most luminous objects brings us closer to solving why some of them seem to disappear
EARTH
Frozen Researchers Will Greatly Improve Arctic Weather Prediction
Their data will also bolster climate models that forecast extreme weather where we all live
Climate Change
Ship Freezes Itself in Arctic Ice to Study Climate Change
Researchers trapped in the central Arctic Ocean for a year prepare to unlock secrets of the region’s changing climate
Climate Change
Marooned: Researchers Will Freeze Their Ship into Arctic Ocean Ice for a Year
Scientists setting sail to the North Pole will become stranded in slowly migrating sea ice to investigate climate change
Space & Physics
The Solar System’s Loneliest Planets, Revisited
Thirty years after a probe visited Neptune, many scientists say now is the time to finally return to that world and Uranus
EARTH
These Plants Can Replace Meat—but Will Doing So Help the Environment?
Moving away from meat would reduce fertilizer use, cropland and carbon dioxide emissions. Yet it alone will not save the planet
Space & Physics
Water on Europa—with a Pinch of Salt
Much like Earth’s seas, the subsurface ocean of this icy moon of Jupiter contains sodium chloride, the main ingredient of table salt
