Tracing the Origins of Ocean Garbage Patches
Where do garbage patches come from, what garbage is in them, how do they form, and how can we clean them up once and for all?
Category: Physical Sciences
Plankton Predict Red Sea Fishing Success
Phytoplankton blooms hold the key to setting sustainable and fair fishing quotas each year—a win-win situation for the economy and the ecosystem.
Citizen Scientists Have Found Dozens of Brown Dwarfs Near Earth
Volunteers scanning the night sky for elusive hints of Planet Nine are uncovering the secrets of a strange class of stars called brown dwarfs.
What to Read: Asteroid Hunters
On any given day, about 90,000 kilograms of dust and small rocks hit the Earth. What happens when something larger is on a collision course with Earth?
Get to Know a Scientist: Astrophysicist Dr. Melinda Soares-Furtado
An astrophysicist studies stars, planets, and other things in space. Introducing Dr. Melinda Soares-Furtado, who tells us about her career.
How a Green Tea Antioxidant Helps Fight Cancer
Green tea has many health benefits, but how does it work? New research reveals one mechanism behind green tea’s anti-cancer properties.
Uncovering the History of Harvard’s ‘Human Computers’
More than a century ago, women called “human computers” changed our understanding of the universe. Now volunteers are making discoveries in their old notebooks.
Abundant Life Found on Deep Sea Mountains
Researchers from the University of Hawaii at Manoa show us what ocean life is like atop a deep sea mountain.
Explore the Cosmos at Home
From studying light pollution to growing tomato seeds that have flown in orbit, these citizen science projects can help you and your kids enjoy the cosmos at home.
Diamonds Can Conduct Electricity
Computer simulations show diamonds can be made to conduct electricity like metal, and the potential real-world applications are numerous.