The substance has nourished and intoxicated animal life long before humans walked upright. Yet our manipulation and consumption of alcohol led to profound physical and cultural effects—and helped make us who we are...
Science and politics have both benefited from humanity’s journey into space. And we really might just be getting started
Forget alternative fuels: the next big change for cars lies in information technology and automation, which will lead to new designs and are the best hope for the wide- spread adoption of all-electric vehicles...
Once similar to the U.S. Pacific Northwest, Antarctica now demands that life adapt to extreme cold—which explains, for instance, the existence of fish there that make their own antifreeze and lack red blood...
Extreme weather events are nothing new, but they appear to be gaining strength. Scientists have risked life and limb to help us better understand— and better survive— these storms...
Soldiers and scientists who exploited chemistry won battles and horrified the world
Aqueducts, dams and irrigation projects all made rapid development possible in the arid West. They have also created ecological and economic challenges, especially as populations continue to grow...
Today virtually everything we eat is produced from seeds that have been genetically altered in some way. New methods of plant tinkering have emerged over the generations— and so, too, have the fears...
Despite decades of research decoding the influenza virus—and great advances in treating and vaccinating against the disease—this infectious pathogen continues to both surprise and confound us...
Landfills are one solution to deal with our trash, but they are often not the best.
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