Science

22 Orphans Gave Up Everything to Distribute the World’s First Vaccine

Spain’s strategy for rolling out the smallpox vaccine ran into some very 19th-century problems.

Astronomers Are Keeping a Close Watch on the Next Star Over

They have noticed something intriguing coming from the direction of Proxima Centauri.

The 70-Year-Old Mystery of Two Galactic Mushroom Clouds

Giant bubbles hovering over the Milky Way seem to be remnants of an ancient explosion.

We Know Almost Nothing About Giant Viruses

An enigmatic group of microbes seems to have an unusual new ability.

Put On a Hat, Please

I’m just a kindly winter evangelist, standing in front of your outdoor restaurant table, asking you to wear layers.

The Mutated Virus Is a Ticking Time Bomb

There is much we don’t know about the new COVID-19 variant—but everything we know so far suggests a huge danger.

America Has Not Fixed Its Deadliest Pandemic Errors

The COVID Tracking Project’s extensive, daily data collection reveals the simple yet devastating ways the U.S. has failed.

If You Can’t Stand the Heat

How I became a cook at fire camp

The Pandemic Is Crashing Through the South and the West

Five states—Arizona, California, Florida, Tennessee, and Texas—account for 40 percent of all new cases reported in the past seven days.

A Pandemic Pregnancy Is a More Dangerous Pregnancy

Even for those who haven’t contracted COVID-19

December Is Now the Deadliest Month of the Pandemic

With days left to go in the month, the number of deaths reported passed April’s high.

The Mink Pandemic Is No Joke

Nine countries have now reported outbreaks on mink farms.

The Weekly Planet: The 5 Biggest Climate Stories of 2020

Joe Biden’s victory isn’t on the list.

Jupiter and Saturn Are Just Showing Off Now

This year is ending with a rare cosmic alignment.

Congo’s Fishermen Can’t Catch a Break

The dwindling number of sharks in the country is threatening an entire micro-economy that relies on them.

You Can’t Just Throw Away a 200-Ton Boat

Alaska’s abandoned ships are turning into a multimillion-dollar environmental nuisance.

A Day of Deaths 25 Percent Higher Than Spring’s Worst

For the second week in a row, more COVID-19 deaths were reported in the U.S. than at any other time in the pandemic.

The Terrible Déjà Vu of COVID-19’s Winter Surge

The coronavirus is now resurgent in some of the states hardest hit in the spring and summer.

An Enormous Bird Has a Real-Estate Problem

The helmeted hornbill can’t procreate without a particular type of tree hole, so scientists are trying to build it artificial ones.

The Weekly Planet: The Only Way to Achieve Carbon-Neutral Flight, According to an Airline

United Airlines is betting on carbon removal as the key to climate-friendly air travel.