1462 Items Tagged

Science

Trees and other plants can’t escape wildfire smoke.

Trees Hold Their Breath to Avoid Wildfire Smoke

Researchers made the surprise discovery when wildfire smoke blanketed their test site.

Delphine Farmer and Mj Riches August 5, 2024

Marlborough, New Hampshire

The Caterpillar Lab

This curious and colorful space invites visitors to delve into the hidden and often mind-boggling world of caterpillars.

Mastodons once roamed over much of North America. One of them died near the future site of San Diego, causing a scientific controversy 130,000 years later.

The Wild Tale of the Cerutti Mastodon, a Fossil That Could Rewrite the Human Story

The Cerutti Mastodon, found near San Diego, shows signs of being butchered 130,000 years ago—but by who? Or what?

Gemma Tarlach August 1, 2024

<em>Approaching Storm</em> by German landscape painter Julius Bergmann shows a cowherd bringing his animals to shelter.

Can Thunderstorms Spoil Milk?

The answer eluded scientists for centuries.

Andrew Coletti July 30, 2024

A variety of animals, from birds to mammals, including lemurs, have been observed eating fermented fruit, apparently to get a little tipsy.

From Naming Each Other to Getting Drunk, Animals Are More Like Us Than We Thought

We're not so special after all.

Robin George Andrews July 24, 2024

Octopuses investigate the skeleton of a whale at a whale fall site off the California coast.

There Are More Whale Falls Off Los Angeles Than the Rest of the World Combined

The surprising discovery reveals how much we don't know about the deep ocean and its residents.

Douglas Main July 22, 2024

Small rocks can be great souvenirs from camp and other summertime adventures—they can also reveal secrets about Earth's deep history.

How to Identify Rocks, the Ultimate Summer Camp Souvenir

Who hasn't stopped to marvel over a cool rock along the lakeshore or on the trail? Here's how to learn its backstory.

Yinan Wang July 11, 2024

For more than half a century, the traveling International Astronomical Youth Camp has offered a gateway to careers in astronomy—and to lifelong friendships.

Up at Noon, Out All Night: This Summer Camp Is for Serious Stargazers

For more than half a century, the International Astronomical Youth Camp has attracted aspiring astronomers from around the world.

Hannah Seo July 5, 2024

The Kutuk River in Alaska's Gates of the Arctic National Park is one of 75 orange-stained rivers found in the region.

Dozens of Alaska Rivers Are Turning an Eerie Orange

The cause is just as concerning as the color.

Charis McGowan June 28, 2024

Sharing nightly ghost stories and other scary tales was a tradition for generations of summer campers—until now.

The Tale of the Vanishing Summer Camp Ghost Story

To avoid traumatizing children, many camps are banning scary stories. But can a little fun with fear be a good thing?

Roxanne Hoorn June 21, 2024

Because many predators hunt at night, humans evolved to be particularly vigilant in low-light environments.

Why a Night in the Woods Can Scare Even Seasoned Campers

As the sun goes down when you're camping, every sound can seem like a threat. Blame evolution—and our phones.

Suzie Dundas June 18, 2024

Upton, New York

Brookhaven Gamma Forest

Starting in 1961, Brookhaven National Labs regularly irradiated a section of forest with a canister of Cesium-137 to study the effects of hard gamma radiation on an ecosystem.

The Ancient Secrets Hidden in 41,000 Bison Bones

Thousands of bones from Colorado's Jones-Miller site offer a detailed picture of Ice Age hunting—and a few mysteries.

Stephen E. Nash June 3, 2024

Springfield, Vermont

Stellafane Observatory

An amateur telescope-making club has been gathering at this Vermont site for more than a century.

An interferogram of Kathmandu shows the amount of land deformation after a 2015 quake: Each color represents about an inch of deformation. In areas that appear speckled, including the large area on the right, the ground deformed more than three feet.

Plate Tectonics Has a Surprise Silver Lining

Without this restless geologic process, which triggers destructive earthquakes, Earth would not be habitable.

Robin George Andrews May 29, 2024

This Iowa Summer Camp Is Abuzz With Mosquitoes

But not in the way you're thinking.

Katherine R. Bruna May 27, 2024

A powerful X3.9 solar flare, visible at lower right, erupts on May 10 in an image captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory.

Why Is the Sun So Active Right Now?

Northern lights in the American South, clusters of huge geomagnetic storms—the Sun is throwing a tantrum right on schedule.

Rebecca Boyle May 14, 2024

Biologist Juan Masello has broken multiple bones, crushed a vein, and nearly drowned studying the world's largest parrot colony, at Balneario El Condor in Argentina.

Studying the World's Largest Parrot Colony Is an Extreme Sport

Cliffside with Argentina's burrowing parrots, biologist Juan Masello has broken bones, crushed a vein, and nearly drowned.

James Hall May 14, 2024