Meanwhile, the US Global Forecasting System continues to get worse. The Atlantic hurricane season is drawing to a close, and with the tropics quieting down for a winter slumber, the focus of forecasters turns to evaluating what worked and what did not during the preceding season. This year, the…
A dedicated organ grows the fungus, which deters parasitic wasps. Many insect species hear using tympanal organs, membranes roughly resembling our eardrums but located on their legs. Grasshoppers, mantises, and moths all have them, and for decades, we thought that female stinkbugs of the Dinidoridae family have them, too,…
The consequences of the shutdown extend far beyond a lapse in funding. US science always suffers during government shutdowns. Funding lapses send government scientists home without pay. Federal agencies suspend new grant opportunities, place expert review panels on hold, and stop collecting and analyzing critical public datasets that tell…
Also: the science of regular vs. gluten-free spaghetti, catching high-speed snake bites in action, etc. It’s a regrettable reality that there is never enough time to cover all the interesting scientific stories we come across each month. In the past, we’ve featured year-end roundups of cool science stories we…
Given a dozen hours, the enzyme can turn a foam pad into reusable chemicals. You’ll often hear plastic pollution referred to as a problem. But the reality is that it’s multiple problems. Depending on the properties we need, we form plastics out of different polymers, each of which is…
Neanderthals were apparently no easier on their art supplies than modern kids. Two chunks of ocher unearthed at ancient rock shelters in Ukraine were actually Neanderthal crayons, according to a recent study. The pair of artifacts, unearthed from layers 47,000 and 46,000 years old, showed signs of being deliberately…
“This fossil doesn’t just settle the debate. It flips decades of T. rex research on its head.” For four decades, a frequently acrimonious debate has raged in paleontological circles about the correct taxonomy for a handful of rare fossil specimens. One faction insisted the fossils were juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex;…
The economic case for solar power is stronger than ever. To the south of the Monte Cristo mountain range and west of Paymaster Canyon, a vast stretch of the Nevada desert has attracted modern-day prospectors chasing one of 21st-century America’s greatest investment booms. Solar power developers want to cover…
Fans of kopi luwak claim the coffee has a unique aroma and taste. A new chemical analysis backs them up. In 2007’s The Bucket List, Jack Nicholson’s billionaire magnate is a fan of a luxury coffee called kopi luwak, only to be informed that the beans first pass through…
“I do think we’re rapidly approaching the point where it will be a significant impact.” It has been nearly one month since many parts of the federal government shut down after lawmakers missed a budget deadline at the end of September, but so far, NASA’s most critical operations have…
