Chemistry
Ancient recipes helped scientists resurrect a long-lost blue hue
Led by medieval texts, scientists hunted down a plant and used its fruit to make a blue watercolor with mysterious origins.
Life
More Stories in Life
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FossilsThe challenge of dinosaur hunting in deep caves
Spelunkers aren’t the only people to find caves interesting. So do paleontologists. Though getting to work may be harrowing, they find it’s worth it.
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EnvironmentPesticides can have long-term impact on bumblebee learning
Pesticide-laced nectar and pollen can permanently harm the brains of baby bumblebees.
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AnimalsMinecraft’s big bees don’t exist, but giant insects once did
Big bees buzz in Minecraft. In our world, blocky bees might starve and be stuck on the ground. Yet long ago, giant insects did roam our planet.
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MicrobesScientists Say: Amoeba
Amoebas are single-celled microbes that move and eat with shape-shifting bulges that extend from their cells. Some are blobs. Others build a shell.
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AnimalsMice show their feelings on their faces
Pleasure, pain, fear and disgust — all can show on a mouse’s face. As computational analyses show, you just need to know what to look for.
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Materials ScienceThis ‘living’ concrete slurps up a greenhouse gas
Microbes help harden a mix of sand and gelatin into a living concrete that could interact with people and the environment in great new ways.
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ChemistryLet’s learn about forensic science
Crime scene investigators analyze evidence with science, to connect criminals to crimes. And it’s often slower and different from what you see on TV.
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EarthScientists Say: Jurassic
During this time from about 200 million to 145 million years ago, dinosaurs reigned and many animals evolved, including birds and some early mammals.
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Health & MedicineHow to find the next pandemic virus before it finds us
Wild animals carry viruses that can sicken people. Monitoring those viral hosts that pose the greatest risk might help prevent a new pandemic.