Author Archives: The Sciences | Discover Magazine
Five Kitchen Sink Science Experiments To Try At Home
Try out these hands-on citizen science projects. You don’t even have to leave the house. Continue reading
The Science of Taylor Swift and Other Improbable Stories
The beginning of April always generates a slew of research papers from scientists who should know better. Here is this year’s round up. Continue reading
E=mc2: What Does Einstein’s Most Famous Equation Mean?
Albert Einstein’s simple yet powerful equation revolutionized physics by connecting the mass of an object with its energy for the first time. Continue reading
The Rise of the Tetrapods: How Our Early Ancestors Left Water to Walk on Land
The story of how the first vertebrates came to walk on land hundreds of millions of years ago and filled the Earth with its many descendants. Continue reading
The Great Wedge of Astronomy
A starry sense of wonder can pry apart the fears and doubts that turn so many people away from science. Continue reading
Deep-Space Ears, Interstellar Eyes, and Off-World Wings
MiMi Aung, project manager for the Mars Helicopter, offers a peek into the high-frontier culture at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Continue reading
The Inside Story Behind the Historic First Flight on Mars
Even if the Ingenuity helicopter fails, it is already a success — an engineering resource for a grand future of flight on other worlds. Continue reading
After You Die, Your Body Could Be Turned Into a Diamond
Cremation diamonds: Here’s how science can give you an afterlife in the form of shiny compressed carbon. Continue reading
After You Die, Your Body Could Be Turned Into a Diamond
Cremation diamonds: Here’s how science can give you an afterlife in the form of shiny compressed carbon. Continue reading
Life Elsewhere in the Universe: When Did We First Consider the Possibility?
Ancient people looked up at the night sky and pondered the question of alien life, too. Continue reading
Earth Has Been Hiding a Fifth Layer in Its Inner Core
Scientists say they’ve detected a new, mysterious layer at the center of our home planet. The discovery could unearth more about Earth’s history. Continue reading
Pi Day: The History of the Math-Centric Holiday and the Special Number It Celebrates
March 14 is Pi Day — and it’s much more than an excuse to eat pie. Here’s the significance of the number 3.14 and how it originated. Continue reading
What Is Silica Gel and Why Do Packets of It Come With Everything You Buy?
Silica gel keeps your chips crisp — and NASA’s Mars rover at the right temperature Continue reading
How Well Do You Know Your Sense of Touch?
A new book explores the science behind our most versatile sense. Continue reading
The Lost Stars From the Early Universe Still Waiting to Be Found
The earliest stars were different than the ones we see in the sky today. That’s what makes them so hard to find. Continue reading
The Lost Stars From the Early Universe Still Waiting to Be Found
The earliest stars were different than the ones we see in the sky today. That’s what makes them so hard to find. Continue reading
Identical Twins: Just How Genetically Alike Are They?
It depends on how deep you look into the DNA, according to new research. Continue reading
Raindrops on Other Planets Are Surprisingly Like Our Own
Earth isn’t the only place to experience rainfall and raindrops. Elsewhere in the universe must be intriguingly similar, say physicists. Continue reading
Life, the Universe, and ‘Oumuamua
In the search for alien civilizations, the first step is making sure we understand what it is we’re looking for. Continue reading
Harvard’s ‘Human Computers’ Revolutionized Astronomy. Their Work is Hidden in Old Notebooks
More than a century ago, women called “human computers” changed our understanding of the universe. Now volunteers are making discoveries in their old notebooks. Continue reading
Harvard’s ‘Human Computers’ Revolutionized Astronomy. Their Work is Hidden in Old Notebooks
More than a century ago, women called “human computers” changed our understanding of the universe. Now volunteers are making discoveries in their old notebooks. Continue reading
Harvard’s ‘Human Computers’ Revolutionized Astronomy. Their Work is Hidden in Old Notebooks
More than a century ago, women called “human computers” changed our understanding of the universe. Now volunteers are making discoveries in their old notebooks. Continue reading
Harvard’s ‘Human Computers’ Revolutionized Astronomy. Their Work is Hidden in Old Notebooks
More than a century ago, women called “human computers” changed our understanding of the universe. Now volunteers are making discoveries in their old notebooks. Continue reading
What Does Wind Chill Mean, Exactly?
Though often talked about as the “feels like” temperature, wind chill involves a lot more than just how you feel outside. Continue reading
The Star Hopping Strategy that Could One Day Save Humanity
By the time the Sun turns into a Red Giant, humanity will need to have settled elsewhere. Here’s how. Continue reading
Shame and the Rise of the Social Media Outrage Machine
This ancient social emotion has always been complex. The internet poured fuel on it. Then came social media. Continue reading
Quantum Computer Chips Manufactured Using Mass-Market Industrial Fabrication Techniques
Intel engineers have solved the quality control challenge for mass production of quantum computers. Continue reading
More Than 40% of Languages Are at Risk of Fading Away Completely
Thousands of languages are considered endangered. Preservation requires documenting vocabulary and teaching new speakers before it’s too late. Continue reading
Planetary Alignment Didn’t End the World in 1919. But One Professor Thought It Would
Famous for his drastic weather predictions, Albert F. Porta’s name could be seen in local papers across the country in the early 1900s. His story is a cautionary tale of how fake news spreads when the world is in disarray. Continue reading
Outer Space Is a Treasure Chest of Gemstones
Scientists suspect it might be raining diamonds on Neptune and Uranus. Evidence of opal on Mars hints at a watery past. Outside our solar system, there may be rubies and sapphires too. But the gems that form within Earth still might be the most dazzling. Continue reading