Science

Hospitals Can’t Go On Like This

Twenty-two percent of American hospitals don’t have enough workers right now.

The Weekly Planet: What Donald Trump Taught the Electric-Car Industry

Tesla, Uber, and utilities are consolidating their power in Washington.

Cancel Thanksgiving

This is a moment for creativity.

SpaceX’s Riskiest Business

Launching astronauts into space means being responsible for their safety.

The Alaska Tsunami That Can’t Be Stopped

Melting ice has left one small town on the brink of disaster.

The Dolphin Myth That Refuses to Die

Brazil’s pink river dolphins have long gotten blamed for all sorts of heinous crimes.

Sexual Attraction Is the Oldest Story on Earth

When one cell drifts by another cell, pheromones fly.

The Worst Day of the Pandemic Since May

COVID-19 hospitalizations are now at an all-time high.

Europa’s Mysterious Glow

Strange things could happen when radiation meets the icy surface of one of Jupiter’s moons.

The Weekly Planet: 5 Ways to Think About Biden and Climate Change

He could have the best chance to fight carbon pollution of any American leader in a decade.

How Trump Sold Failure to 70 Million People

The president convinced many voters that his response to the pandemic was not a disaster. The psychology of medical fraud is simple, timeless, and tragic.

Where Did Svalbard’s Shipwrecks Go?

Ship-eating worms may be devouring centuries of history.

Mark Kelly’s Secret Weapon

The newly elected senator from Arizona joins an exclusive club of astronauts turned politicians.

A Dreadful New Peak for the American Pandemic

The country recorded more than 100,000 coronavirus cases on Wednesday—the highest single-day total since the pandemic began.

The Weekly Planet: How Jeff Bezos Is Spending His $10 Billion Earth Fund

These nine environmental groups are some of his first grantees.

The Pandemic Is in Uncharted Territory

The fall surge is rewriting the coronavirus record books across America. And the numbers are still climbing.

The Rogue Planets That Wander the Galaxy Alone

Astronomers are searching for mysterious, free-floating worlds across the Milky Way.

Land Managers Can’t Burn the West Fast Enough

Prescribed burns, which create buffers against larger fires, can do only so much.

The Weekly Planet: The Secret Political Power of Fossil Fuels

Coal and fracking don’t work like other declining industries, and that matters for Democrats.

Everyone Can Chill Out About the Moon

Scientists have detected evidence of water in an unexpected place—a significant, but not earth-shattering, discovery.