May 16, 2016
New Insights into Earth’s Ancient Atmosphere
Although it’s hard to imagine, Earth didn’t always have the oxygen-rich atmosphere we breathe today. In fact, until about two and a half billion years ago, the air contained almost no oxygen gas at all. You...
May 9, 2016
How moths trick bats with their own sonar
If you’re a big, delicious insect like the luna moth, how can you escape a predator like the big brown bat? You can’t outfly bats. Your beautiful, light-green wings span up to 4.5 inches, but they...
May 2, 2016
Europa and Enceladus: Searching for Life on Icy Moons
We hear a lot about the prospect of microorganisms existing on Mars and probes of increasing complexity that will be going there in the years to come, but the life search will also examine the outer...
April 25, 2016
The secret of life revealed: Today in science history
On April 25, 1953, the “secret of life” was revealed in a short article in Nature that began, “We wish to suggest a structure for the salt of deoxyribose nucleic acid (D.N.A.). This structure has novel...
April 3, 2016
Tyrannosaur tracks show scientists how fast an ancient predator could move
Just north of the town of Glenrock, Wyoming, a stretch of ancient yellow sandstone is studded with a killer’s footprints. About 66 million years ago, a Tyrannosaurus rex strode through the wet sand of what was...
March 28, 2016
The moon’s wandering pole
If you’re an avid watcher of the night sky — or a Pink Floyd fan — you probably know that we Earthlings always see the same side of the moon. We always see the bright side,...
March 14, 2016
Celebrating All Things Pi on 3/14
There’s no better time to celebrate the magic of mathematics than Pi Day, which of course is on 3/14. Called by some the geekiest day of the year, Pi Day (also Albert Einstein’s birthday) is a great...
February 27, 2016
Research in the Classroom: Taking Action
The idea of conducting research can instill fear in many who are unfamiliar with its many varieties. Particularly in science-related areas, it’s easy to conjure images of white-coated, protective-goggle-wearing individuals hunkered over Erlenmeyer flasks waiting for...
February 20, 2016
The ancient Babylonians calculated Jupiter’s position long before NASA
To the ancient Babylonians, the planet Jupiter was more than a bright light in the Mesopotamian night sky: It was the celestial manifestation of their god, Marduk. Jupiter’s location told of Marduk’s plans for them, such...
February 18, 2016
Celebrating African Americans in STEM: Lonnie Johnson, rocket scientist and inventor
A prolific inventor with more than 100 patents, Lonnie G. Johnson is most famous for inventing the hugely popular Super Soaker®. However, Johnson’s accomplishments go far beyond the world of toys. He is also an aerospace...
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