Scrapes, Granaries & Bowers: The Wide World of Avian Architecture
11.21.2011 Bird nests can be simple or elaborate, as small as a hazelnut, or enormous, weighing several tons. They can last a few weeks or a century, and can be isolated or one among a half million of similar nests.
by Meera Subramanian
Don't Send an Astronaut to Do a Space-Robot's Job
10.12.2011 Scientists and engineers are working on machines to do the most difficult jobs in space: drill holes on the Moon, sail the seas of Titan, and bring back rocks from Mars.
by Andrew Grant
Unraveling the Mysteries Under Our Very Feet
08.11.2011 The farthest we have ventured inside our own planet got us only 0.4 percent of the way to the core. The inner earth has been terra incognita until some recent advances in peering deep below Earth's crust.
by Will Hunt
Where’d That Beetle Find a Screwdriver? 6 Machines Created by Evolution
08.05.2011 Simple machines hidden are where you least expect them. Take a closer look.
by Veronique Greenwood
Beautiful, Edible Science: Cold Smoke, Flaming Oranges & Gelatinized Skin
07.20.2011 A physicist's monster cookbook brings bold experiments into the kitchen.
by Wayt Gibbs and Nathan Myhrvold
The Scientist Who Drew Brains, and Then a Nobel Prize
06.27.2011 With an artist’s eye and a scientist’s mind, anatomist Santiago Ramón y Cajal was the first to see—and illustrate —what neurons really do. His exquisitely detailed drawings changed our understanding of the brain and nervous system.
How to Build the Ultimate Naval Defense: Uber-Powerful Lasers
06.21.2011 The U.S. Navy wants to put powerful lasers on its ships to shoot down artillery shells and even cruise missiles at the speed of light (and really, who wouldn't). But there are a few scientific details to sort out before sailors can deploy the beams. "First we want to make sure the physics is right before throwing buckets of salt water over the thing," says Ed Pogue.
by Olivia Koski
8 Amazing Animal Migrations
05.05.2011 Some creatures just aren't happy spending all year in one house. Here are some of the longest and most impressive yearly voyages by land, air, and sea.
by Patrick Morgan
The Funky Fungi Freak Show
02.24.2011 Come see the luminous looks of Gorgeous Glo. Marvel at the magnificent abilities of the Hat-Thrower. Meet the species that stinks to survive—but don't get too close.
by Nancy Averett
