Space & Physics
Saturn Probe Data Reveal Impressive Depth of Titan’s Largest Sea
The moon’s massive pool of methane, ethane and nitrogen could potentially swallow skyscrapers
Stories by Sid Perkins
EARTH
Deltas Gain Ground—but the Trend Won’t Last
New analysis reveals river deltas’ surprising expansion
Space & Physics
Molecular Trap Locks Away CO2
New images reveal carbon dioxide ensnared in metal-organic frameworks
Biotech
A New Twist on Artificial Muscles
Several designs could find uses in tiny robots and biomedical devices
Engineering
Scientists Create Artificial Wood That Is Water- and Fire-Resistant
The synthetic material is faster to make than natural wood
Evolution
New Fossils Offer Clues about a Primordial Bird Beak
The toothy snout had a tip covered by a hornlike sheath
Chemistry
Stronger Than Steel, Able to Stop a Speeding Bullet—It’s Super Wood!
Simple processes can make wood tough, impact-resistant—or even transparent
Biology
Back to Black: How Birds-of-Paradise Get Their Midnight Feathers
Tiny microstructures on the animals’ plumes absorb most of the incoming light
Space & Physics
Planet-Size "Waves" Spotted in the Sun's Atmosphere
Long-sought features may help researchers improve models of solar activity and predict space weather
Evolution
Dinosaur Family Tree Poised for Colossal Shake-Up
“Textbook-changing” analysis of dinosaur bones upends long-accepted relationships among major
Environment
Earth Movements That Don't Shake Could Forecast Large Quakes
Temblors off northeastern Japan are often preceded by subtle slips along seafloor faults
Evolution
Bat-Winged Dinosaur Discovery Poses Flight Puzzle
A newly described tiny creature has forelimb bones thought to support aerofoil membranes
Evolution
Tails Tell the Tale of Dinosaur Sex
Differences in the size and shape of tailbones offer a way to tell male and female fossils apart
Evolution
Fossils Reveal "Beer-Bellied" Dinosaur
The waddling Deinocheirus was almost as big as Tyrannosaurus rex
Environment
Sahara Desert's Age Doubles in Climate Simulation
A shrinking sea off northern Africa, the Mediterranean's predecessor, triggered the desert's formation 7 million years ago, a study suggests
Environment
Hundreds of Methane Plumes Spotted on Seafloor
Bubble streams off the U.S. east coast could be methand-rich ices warming and releasing the potent greenhouse gas
Evolution
Recipe for Mummies Balm Is Older Than the Pharaohs
Egyptians used the same general formula to soak burial linens as early as 4200 B.C.
Space & Physics
Massive Asteroid Spurts Plumes of Water Vapor
The origin of Ceres' intermittent plumes is unclear
Biology
Leopard-like Creature Is the Oldest Big Cat Yet Found
The discovery of Panthera blytheae fossils strengthens an Asian origin for pantherine carnivores
The Sciences
Forbidden City Built from Stones Dragged on Ice
Ice-lubricated sledges were the most efficient way to transport multi-ton stones for Beijing’s center
