Viruses are tiny hijackers. These germs are simple microbes. Each one is just a set of genetic instructions — either DNA or RNA — inside a protein pouch. Unlike living…

In The Incredibles, Violet Parr is a lot like other teenagers. She has embarrassing parents, a troublesome little brother and a crush so intense it makes her want to disappear.…

In its final moments, Yuka the woolly mammoth may have been trying to outrun a cave lion. That’s the conclusion of scientists who have just studied some of its genetic…

Haboob (noun, “huh-BOOB”) A haboob is a kind of dust storm. When a thunderstorm occurs in the desert, a haboob might form. These storms look like huge, sandy walls as…

A bouncing ball eventually will roll to a stop. After a long day of scrolling, a phone battery will die. Eventually, every campfire will burn out. In each case, it…

In comic books and movies, radiation can be a source of superpowers. The bite of a radioactive spider turned Peter Parker into Spider-Man, allowing him to spin webs and swing…

From the 1950s through the 1980s, the United States and Soviet Union built and tested thousands of nuclear weapons. Fallout from those tests has littered the planet with radioactive debris…

A popular technique for decorating pottery is helping scientists “paint” intricate patterns on nanosized bits of gold. This teeny tiny art technique could give the gold specks exciting new properties.…

Ammolites are some pretty fabulous fossils. Unlike many ancient life forms that get preserved in dull browns and grays, ammolites shimmer like rainbows. Their vivid hues make them prized gemstones…