A Uruguayan physicist cracked a major code for renewable energy
In an unlikely country, Uruguay, a particle physicist figured out how to convert energy grids to renewable energy. We tell the story of how he did it.
Science
Vegetarianism may be in your genes
Eating less meat is good for your health and the environment. Now a new study suggests genes may play a role in people's ability to stick to a strict vegetarian diet.
Scientists looked at nearly every known amphibian type. They're not doing great
A new global assessment of the world's amphibians finds that more than 2 of every 5 known species is at risk of extinction. Habitat loss, disease and climate change are the main drivers.
This MacArthur 'genius' knew the initial theory of COVID transmission was flawed
When COVID-19 first emerged, Linsey Marr suspected right away it spread through the air. Time has proved this aerosols engineer right. Now she's being honored with a MacArthur "genius grant."
This expert on water scarcity would never call herself a 'genius.' But MacArthur would
Amber Wutich, an anthropologist and newly minted 'MacArthur genius,' says water scarcity is a human-caused problem that requires human-generated solutions.
Nobel Prize in chemistry goes to three scientists for tiny, colorful quantum dots
Three scientists were honored for their work with the tiny nanoparticles that allow for very bright colors. They are used in many electronics, like LED displays.
Tarantulas in Colorado are on the move, and they're looking for love
Fall is tarantula mating time in the plains of southeastern Colorado. The small city of La Junta is celebrating the spiders' season of romance with its second annual tarantula festival.
3 scientists win Nobel Prize in physics for looking at electrons in atoms
The scientists look at electrons in atoms during the tiniest of split seconds, giving "humanity new tools for exploring the world of electrons," according to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
Two scientists win Nobel Prize for research that led to COVID-19 vaccines
Two scientists won the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine played a crucial role in the development of the COVID-19 vaccines.
As the 'water tower of Asia' dries out, villagers learn to recharge their springs
In the Himalayan foothills, water is getting harder to come by. Villagers in one region of northern India are learning how to recharge the groundwater-fed springs they depend on.