Every day, diligent researchers are making scientific breakthroughs that help change the way we understand and interact with the world. Much of the exploration that leads to these achievements occurs under a microscope — where the building blocks of life are magnified and their otherwise unseen properties made visible to the human eye. Established in […]
For those of us who aren’t scientists, a chance encounter with an inert ground-dwelling rodent probably wouldn’t turn into a decades-long quest for knowledge about the animal that is now linked with making space exploration safer for humans. But in 1992, for Kelly Drew, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Alaska,
Women make up less than a third of the U.S. workforce in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, and earn about 15,000 less than their male counterparts, according to the American Association of University Women. There have been various movements to help end this STEM gender gap in recent years, and Jessica Wade is
Scientists have uncovered the world’s oldest known DNA in northern Greenland — a major discovery that sheds light on what the now-barren landscape may have looked like 2 million years ago. Publishing their findings in Nature in December, an international team of scientists studied 41 microscopic fragments of environmental DNA, the genetic material organisms release
World’s Oldest DNA Paints a New Picture of Icy Greenland 2 Million Years Ago Continue Reading »
Sabrina Thompson is an aerospace engineer for NASA as well as a passionate artist — and she found a way to combine the two seemingly contradictory fields. The innovator is on a mission to create the first spacesuit “designed by women for women.” Thompson is the founder and CEO of a clothing brand called Girl
Meet Sabrina Thompson: The NASA Engineer Designing a Spacesuit for Women Continue Reading »
Making a scientific discovery is an incredible achievement at any age — and Indeever Madireddy made one at just 17 years old. The Silicon Valley high school senior, avid fishkeeper, and 2022 Davidson Fellow channeled his curiosity about his pet fish, Calvin, who recently died, into a research project. The result: Madireddy made history, becoming
NASA is making big leaps in its goal of protecting Earth from cosmic threats. The space agency is currently working on a new telescope, dubbed the “next-generation asteroid hunter,” which promises to be a “game-changer” in identifying hazardous near-Earth objects. In December, NASA announced in a press release that construction had begun on its Near-Earth
In popular culture and history, Vikings are contradictory figures: both raiders and traders, settlers and explorers. According to Smithsonian Magazine, these ancient Scandinavians took to the high seas, venturing to the likes of Britain, Paris, and even North America. But Vikings didn’t just affect the lands around them — it turns out they in-process were
Ancient DNA Shares New Insights Into the Lives and Culture of Vikings Continue Reading »
It starts with acrobatic kicks and somersaults while still inside the womb, and progresses after birth to a never-ending stream of wiggles, wriggles, flailing arms, and jerking legs. When they’re not sleeping, babies certainly seem to always be on the move, long before they’re actually crawling or walking. And new research coming out of the
The frenzy of the holiday season has come and gone, and one great way to recalibrate in this new year is by taking a few moments to step outside and admire the expanse of the sparkling night sky overhead. The Old Farmer’s Almanac is declaring January 2023 to be “the brightest night sky of the
