Science

Could this extra squishy new material mean safer bike helmets?

Scientists say a microlattice design can absorb 27% more energy than the foam helmets on the market now.

Want to live longer? Surround yourself with plants

The lead author of a sweeping study on the health benefits of greenery, David Rojas, advises that “where you are, increase and support more green-ness around your home.”

This new magical coating saves water by making toilets so slippery that poop basically flushes itself

Apply it to your toilet, cut the water use in half.

This mesmerizing 3D map visualizes millions of scientific studies

See the year’s most remarkable microscope photographs

From tulip buds to Vitamin C, there’s immense beauty in the natural world that usually remains hidden.

Is that design biodegradable? It’s complicated

The U.K. is developing standards for biodegradable, compostable, and bio-based plastics, underscoring the need for research on these promising materials.

These scientists studied 500+ logos. Here’s what they discovered about good branding

An effective identity probably doesn’t look the way you think it looks.

This AI just passed a science test and may be smarter than an eighth grader

Pinterest is escalating its fight against anti-vaxxers as measles surge in the U.S.

“We’re taking this approach because we believe that showing vaccine misinformation alongside resources from public health experts isn’t responsible.”

There’s a new AI that can guess how you feel just by watching you walk

Are you a happy, sad, or angry walker? Scientists are teaching algorithms to perceive emotions based on gait alone.

Scientists are studying the dust inside homes. Here’s what they’re discovering

You vacuum it, sweep it, and wipe it off your furniture. But do you know what it actually is—and how it may affect your health?

Why we trust our maps even when we shouldn’t

Our unshakeable faith in maps–digital or otherwise–has its roots in the cartographic revolution.

Living machines: MIT’s former president on the next technology revolution

In her new book, “The Age of Living Machines,” Susan Hockfield argues that we have entered a new era of scientific innovation in America.

How we unraveled the mystery of a global spike in an ozone-eating gas

The investigation demonstrates the critical value of atmospheric monitoring networks, but it also highlights a weakness of the current system.

The unique, puzzling antidepressant effects of an illicit party drug

The study of ketamine—and the recent approval of a nasal spray by the FDA—is opening new doors for treating mental illness.

You’re probably being tricked by “health washing” at the grocery store

Here’s how to avoid this sleight-of-hand move by packaging designers.

Put your phone down at the store. It’s costing you money

If you talk or text while shopping for groceries or clothes, chances are good that it’s leading you to spend money that you don’t have.

What really happened after the Chernobyl nuclear plant exploded

In “Midnight in Chernobyl,” Adam Higginbotham offers a thorough and readable account of one awful night in Ukraine and its lasting consequences.

This popular kids’ toy doubles as a robot that holds 24,000 times its own mass

Shrinky Dinks are back!