Is Dimethyl Sulfide Really a Sign of Alien Life?
Dimethyl sulfide is in the news after NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope may have detected relatively high levels of it in the atmosphere of an exoplanet called K2-18 b
A Nontoxic Disinfectant That Is Safe for Surfaces and Skin
Hypochlorous acid has a lot of buzz in the beauty industry, but this nontoxic disinfectant has many possible uses.
The Nontoxic Cleaner That Kills Germs Better Than Bleach—And You Can Use It on Your Skin
Hypochlorous acid is safe enough to spray in your eyes yet more effective than bleach. Why isn’t it everywhere?
How Researchers Found a Greener Way to Make Fuel for Nuclear Fusion—By Accident
Researchers have found an environmentally safer way to extract the lithium 6 needed to create fuel for nuclear fusion reactors. The new approach doesn’t require toxic mercury, as conventional methods do
What Sniffing Mummies Taught Scientists about an Ancient Society
Mummies’ aromas may provide insight into historical social classes and periods, according to a team of trained mummy sniffers
What Is Chloroprene, the Cancer-Causing Chemical at the Center of a Federal Lawsuit?
Trump could drop a federal lawsuit against a petrochemical plant that emits chloroprene. Here’s a look at the cancer-causing chemical
How Do You Cook a Perfect Egg? Scientists Have Figured It Out
Materials scientists have found a way to perfectly cook an egg white and egg yolk simultaneously
Untangling Why Red Wine Causes Headaches
Opt for lighter, cheaper wine to dodge headaches this holiday season
Chemists Seeking Better Bandages Make World’s Smallest Pasta
Researchers seeking better bandages are creating extremely thin fibers of starch
What Gives Christmas Trees Their Crisp, Cozy Scent?
Learn which molecules are responsible for giving Christmas trees their distinct, crisp-yet-spicy scent
This Year’s Nobel Prizes Are a Warning about AI
Unless we pursue AI carefully, the Nobel committee will one day give a Peace Prize to the people cleaning up its terrible consequences, just as it did with nuclear physics
Flame Retardants in Black Plastic Spatulas Concern Scientists
The scientists behind a popular study on the health effects of flame retardants in black plastic cooking utensils and toys made a calculation error but still say their revised findings are alarming