Watch a Shape-Shifting Robot Prowl the Big, Bad World
Meet DyRET, a doglike machine that can lengthen its four legs on the fly. That’s not to creep out humans, but to help ramblin’ robots of all stripes.
The Perplexing Psychology of Returning to ‘Normal’
For a year now, we’ve been living in constant fear of Covid-19. But when you get that vaccine in your arm, it’s not like your stress will magically melt away.
So, Jeff Bezos, You Really Want to Fix the Planet?
Amazon's founder is stepping down to focus on other projects, like the Bezos Earth Fund. Here's what he can do to help fix the mess humans have made of the world.
US Cities Are Way Underreporting Their Carbon Footprints
A modeling system called Vulcan shows that on average, cities across the country pollute 18.3 percent more than they’ve estimated.
9 Adventurers Died Mysteriously. A New Theory Explains Why
More than 60 years after the incident, scientists say they have new evidence pointing to a peculiar kind of avalanche as the culprit.
What Did Pterosaurs Eat? Look Very Closely at Their Teeth
An “infinite focus microscope” reveals characteristic patterns on the flying reptiles’ chompers, showing in new detail how they lived—and evolved.
What Should You Do About Holiday Gatherings and Covid-19?
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, there's no perfectly safe way to socialize. But here are some tips on how to talk to your relatives about risk—or opting out.
The Case for Reviving the Civilian Conservation Corps
If the US brought back the Great Depression’s massive worker program, it could put millions of Americans back to work—and help stave off disasters like wildfires.
How the ‘Diabolical’ Beetle Survives Being Run Over by a Car
The puny insect can withstand forces 39,000 times its body weight. Scientists just discovered its super-strength secret—which could inspire new materials.
Fish Form Social Networks—and They’re Actually Good
New models of coral reefs show how fish species communicate with one another. The findings may well help save these threatened ecosystems.