Centuries ago, astronomers observed a dark oval — nicknamed the Permanent Spot — on Jupiter. It was located at the same latitude, or distance from Jupiter’s equator, where the giant…

THC (noun, “T-H-C”) THC is a chemical found in the plant cannabis, or marijuana. THC is short for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. It is the compound mainly responsible for cannabis’s psychoactive effects. That…

PFAS — also known as forever chemicals — are thousands of fluorine-rich compounds. And these human-made chemicals can be found everywhere. They’re in school uniforms, food packaging, cosmetics and personal…

Bruce the kea is missing his upper beak. This makes the olive green parrot look a little like he’s always surprised. But scientists are even more shocked at what he…

About one in five U.S. kids have obesity. This condition greatly ups their risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and more. Such dangers partially explain doctors’ interest in…

Tiny as they are, paper cuts can cause real pain. It’s common to get a minor cut while flipping through a magazine or book. But tissue paper is not likely…

This is another in a year-long series of stories identifying how the burgeoning use of artificial intelligence is impacting our lives — and ways we can work to make those impacts as beneficial…

Kugelblitz (noun, “KOO-ghull-blitz”) A kugelblitz is a black hole made of pure light. Such objects are only theoretical. Some laws of physics suggest they should be able to exist. Others…

In a darkened room in Rochester, N.Y., a baby girl in a pink onesie watches a computer screen. Wherever she looks, an eye tracker follows. It records what she looks…

Yellowstone National Park is known for its bubbling hot springs and steaming geysers. These hydrothermal wonders are powered by a massive cauldron of partly melted rock deep underground. It holds…