Reflecting on the Arecibo Message, Our First Attempt to Speak with the Stars
On the 50th anniversary of the “Arecibo message,” we present a reflection on humankind’s first attempt to send a transmission to intelligent life in the cosmos.
Insights into Insects with an Entomologist
Violins, the ink on the Declaration of Independence and other ways that insects shaped human history
Mud Bath Really Does Make Baseballs Easier to Grip
Droughts in 48 of 50 U.S. states, evidence of microplastics mucking up wastewater recycling and the science of a baseball mud bath in this week’s news roundup.
The Impact of Weight Stigma on Health
Focusing on size in health care might be doing more harm than good.
Medieval Elites Cared about Their Zodiac Signs, Too
In medieval times, astrology was considered a serious science, a branch of astronomy. Curator Larisa Grollemond of the Getty Museum, walks us through the medieval zodiac and how someone’s sign decided their day-to-day life.
Your 2024 Election Rundown, from Immigration to Education
The outcome of the 2024 U.S. presidential election could set the climate agenda, reshape public education and shift the dynamics of global science collaboration.
Your 2024 Election Rundown, from Health Care to Nuclear Proliferation
The outcome of the 2024 U.S. presidential election could reshape policies from health care at home to nuclear proliferation abroad
Why We Love to Be Spooked
Host Rachel Feltman and behavioral scientist Coltan Scrivner explore our fascination with fear and what drives our obsession with all things spooky.
Could Weight-Loss Treatments Lead to an Uptick in Scurvy?
We cover a 3.26-billion-year-old meteorite impact, the spread of bird flu and a scurvy case study that serves as a cautionary tale in this week’s news roundup.
Spooky Lakes and the Science of ‘Haunted Hydrology’
An open body of water can be particularly eerie. It’s part of what led creator and author Geo Rutherford to make her viral videos on Spooky Lakes.
What Do Societal Beauty Standards Have to Do with Breast Cancer?
An epidemiologist explores a troubling rise in early-onset breast cancer diagnoses and discusses the potential link to chronic exposure to endocrine disruptors.
Microbes Are Evolving to Eat Cleaning Supplies, and Whooping Cough Is Making a Comeback
Kick off the week by catching up on the latest science news.