Science

A deep dive into how the new coronavirus infects cells has found that it orchestrates a hostile takeover of their genes unlike any other known viruses do.

At least four states combined data from two different test results, potentially providing a misleading picture of when and where coronavirus spread as the nation eases restrictions.

Why do some healthy people develop severe symptoms? Do people who recover from COVID-19 become immune to the coronavirus? Our answers to readers' questions.

The new image could be the first direct evidence of the site of a planet's fiery birth in interstellar space.

In the digital world, distortion is commonly created using a technique called wave shaping, which is a cool concept that I thought deserved a blog post.

Here are some tips from experts about cheering yourself up when you're in a funk.

The Action Lab demonstrates how when you pour soda into ice you can get temperatures colder than ice.

Unlike the last few decades of successful particle hunts, neutrino physics is a trek into the unknown, one that the United States physics community has chosen to pursue full-on.

As if the pandemic isn't enough, people are wondering if climate change will cause pathogens buried in frozen ground to come back to life as the Arctic warms. How worried should we be?

The vast majority of us have no idea if we were, are, or will be sick. In the absence of any verifiable information, there's nothing to do but live with the knowledge that every action is possibly flawed and potentially fatal.

The choir practice case is a primary example of super-spreading, but there have been others — notably gatherings on a cruise ship and at a funeral, an international conference and in a women's prison.

A lizard that both lays eggs and gives birth to live young is helping scientists understand how and why these forms of reproduction evolved.

A first-time researcher published a new mathematical study on number theory. The twist? He's also serving a 25-year murder sentence behind bars.

Earth's magnetic north pole is heading toward Siberia and now we know why: Two blobs of material in the mantle are pulling on it, and Siberia's is winning.

The volcano is responsible for the deadliest eruption in US history, yet many mysteries remain about the closely watched peak, including why it formed in the first place.

Here's how White 2.0, the world's whitest paint, compare to spectralon, the world's whitest material.

America is supposed to be the world leader in medical innovation. Is it paying off during the coronavirus crisis?

The coronavirus pandemic has given rise to a new wave of viral disinformation, and anti-vaccine advocates are on the front lines.

Health experts say we need up to 200,000 more people to track down the infected and anyone who crossed their path. I took the training to learn how it works.

The Cavendish Experiment can be used to measure the gravitational constant and in the case of this video, be used to demonstrate the gravitational force between objects.

A homemade lava lamp can be made with 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons water, 8/10 drops of food coloring and 1 tablet of alka seltzer.

There's a reason why some species communicate with lower sounds.

Moon conspiracy theorists say if there's no air on the moon, dust shouldn't be flying around. The Action Lab demonstrates whether dust can kick up inside a vacuum.

A number of variables can affect when herd immunity is reached, and they vary depending on the disease. How infectious is the disease? How deadly is it? And how long do people stay immune once they've gotten it?

A NASA physicist says he resolved a paradox in a hypothetical warp drive. But despite experiments, we have a long way before we can travel through folded space.

Social media is already filling up with misinformation about a COVID-19 vaccine, months or years before one even exists.

Here's the science behind what carbonated drinks do inside our bodies once we drink them.

People really do circle past the same tree over and over again — it doesn't just happen in movies.

The Martian surface is a radiation hot zone. But ancient lava tubes might offer explorers safety from the cosmic bombardment.

A newly proposed strategy could dramatically improve this currently disjointed process, allowing for the accelerated development of multiple vaccines at once.

Reports of patients with neurological symptoms have emerged during the pandemic. Scientists don't yet know whether these are a direct effect of the virus or part of the body's response to infection.

In a secret experiment, researchers replaced the dysfunctional brain cells of a Parkinson's patient with the progeny of an extraordinary type of stem cell.

Ants discover a slice of kiwi and have the time of their lives.

A comparative immunologist dispels myths about how and where you can contract the coronavirus and provides a comprehensive look at the biggest risk factors as we come down the curve.

The man behind Trump's favorite unproven treatment has made a great career assailing orthodoxy. His claim of a 100 percent cure rate shocked scientists around the world.

It's not magic; it's just rocket science.

Sometimes the shortest route is where the liquid flows.

Those yellow barriers you see by the side of the highway are designed to crumple safely during a crash and absorb a vehicle's momentum. They're made of a bunch of different materials — so would a huge Rice Krispie square work?

The country faces the same problem today that it did two months ago: There are not enough tests to contain the virus.

A viral COVID-19 conspiracy video features an interview with a researcher described as "one of the most accomplished scientists of her generation." But a closer look reveals a professional history mired in scientific controversies and spurious claims.

Harold White left NASA in December to join a new nonprofit focused on building the technologies to bring humans to the outer solar system and beyond.

In an experiment conducted by NHK in consultation with experts, the spread of infection on cruise ships was dramatically illustrated through florescent paint.

Seán Doran, a citizen scientist image processor, captured high resolution images of the sun over a week, and the result is a spectacular short film entitled "Sun Dance."

A viral video purports to show a broken plate fixed by using milk. Does this claim hold water? The Action Lab puts the science to the test.

A rural lab has a 120-year history of fighting mysterious diseases.

Scientists just demonstrated a promising prototype — with a catch.

What happens when a 110 million-year-old dinosaur fossil falls apart while you're digging it out of the ground?

The host of The Action Lab demonstrates what happens to tiny Styrofoam beads when you blast a fan inside a chamber with no air.

Why our minds are not designed to process threats like the coronavirus pandemic

What is the best product to wash your hands with according to science?

Gelatin powder can turn frozen beef into gourmet burgers — or give pan sauces, soups, stews and braises a lip-smacking finish.

Two ways of approximating the ultra-complicated math that governs quark particles have recently come into conflict, leaving physicists unsure what their decades-old theory predicts.

The permafrost in the Fox tunnel in Alaska protects age-old biological clues from decay. But the priceless substrate and scientific tool is disappearing fast.

The videos aren't proof of extraterrestrial life, but that doesn't mean they aren't interesting.

At just 1,000 light-years away, an object in a nearby star system could be our nearest known black hole — but not everyone is convinced.

5-Minute Crafts purports to show an amazing salt reaction when adding vinegar. The King of Random finds out if it's real.

For the émigré philosopher Imre Lakatos, science degenerates unless it is theoretically and experimentally progressive.

A useful explainer on why you need to continuously work on practicing safety while in a chemistry lab.

The process of making tengujo is fairly simple, but the nearly transparent product that results is almost magical.

IQ tests were originally created to determine which children required individualized attention but some of their applications over history have been problematic at best.