Glowy oils, tinted creams, misty sprays, chalky sticks, lightweight gels. Like many people, my pool bag is filled with many types of sunscreen. But all use the same sun-shielding chemicals.…

Objective: To investigate how, in the field of forensic science, the size of blood spatter correlates to the distance from which the blood fell. Areas of Science: Physics Difficulty: Intermediate medium…

In the sea, soft-bodied sea slugs crawl around without shells to protect them. Instead, they sport dazzling colors and flashy patterns to warn would-be predators that they’re toxic. Now, researchers…

Fjord (noun, “FYORD”) Fjords are long, narrow arms of the sea that often reach far inland. They are typically flanked by tall, steep cliffs on either side. Below water, their…

A common houseplant hides a splendid geometric pattern. This design, called a Voronoi diagram, appears on the leaves of the Chinese money plant. The layout may arise as waves of…

For a long time, scientists considered Ötzi the Iceman a messenger from the Copper Age. But new research shows this frozen mummy wasn’t alone. He hosts small companions — dormant,…

Climate scientists are warning us to buckle up for a bumpy ride. An El Niño has begun. By year’s end, this periodic climate event might become the strongest El Niño…

Dikansh S. Parmar rescued a snake for the first time in middle school. It happened at his karate class in Surat, India. Someone spotted a baby cobra among a nearby…

In the animated movie Up, a yellow, tail-wagging dog shows up wearing an electronic collar. The main character, a curious and cheerful 8-year-old boy named Russell, tells the dog to sit. The dog…

Subsidence (noun, “sub-SY-dens”) Subsidence happens when land sinks because water, soil, rock or other underground materials are removed. It can happen quickly, with the sudden appearance of a sinkhole or…