Waiting (And Waiting) For The Big One
Seismologist Lucy Jones explains what makes the San Andreas fault ripe for large earthquakes.
Full Of Stars
How a mechanical limitation forced “2001: A Space Odyssey” to slow down.
Death And Thievery In The Colony
Cleptoparasite female bee, in the nest, with the manacles.
The Woman Who Linked The Web In A ‘Microcosm’
Hypertext links one thing to another on the Internet. But, in 1989, computer scientist Wendy Hall invented a specialized linkbase to build a more connected web.
The ‘Murderous’ Medical Practice Of The 18th Century
For centuries, people thought mercury was a safe, easy remedy for everything from melancholy to syphilis.
Meet The Father Of Modern Skyscrapers
The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world—but the design techniques that make it possible are more than a century old.
How Jellyfish Helped A Marine Biologist Find Her Calling
Juli Berwald recounts not the not-so-straight path that led to her work as a marine biologist.
The Scientist And His Monster
Atop icy Mont Blanc, Victor Frankenstein is confronted by his creation.
The Unexpected Pollinator Of The Cocoa Tree
From South Africa to the Arctic, flies play a role in the pollination of flowering plants—including the crop the provides one of our favorite candies.
Have Yourself A Mathy Little Christmas
Tips for a geometrically superior holiday season.