Last Call at the Disaster Department
Trump has signaled an end date for FEMA.
Science
A New View Into the Universe
At the summit of Cerro Pachón, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory has started its work.
Inside the Creepy, Surprisingly Routine Business of Animal Cloning
“Really and truly, a horse can be alive forever. Forever and ever.”
The ‘Profound’ Experience of Seeing a New Color
The ecstasy of “olo”
The Weekly Planet: The 1 Thing to Understand About Biden’s Infrastructure Plan
This is the only climate bill coming. Also: Why methane levels surged last year.
A Portal to Mars on the Tip of Iceland
A volcano erupting on the island is a living replica of what once happened on Mars.
The Sand Octopus Was Hiding in Plain Sight
And yet it took a 19th-century naturalist, a 21st-century grad student, and some Brazilian fishers to crack the mystery.
You Probably Have an Asymptomatic Infection Right Now
No, not COVID-19. Many, many viruses can infect humans without making us sick, and how they do that is one of biology’s deepest mysteries.
The Pandemic Is Undoing Field Researchers’ Oldest Assumption
With the right partners, scientists don’t have to visit their study sites to get good data.
An Interstellar Visitor Had a Sad Story to Tell
A hint of warmth from our sun helped reveal a mysterious comet’s secrets.
You Won’t Remember the Pandemic the Way You Think You Will
The stories you hold on to will be colored by your own experience—but also by the experiences of those around you.
The Biggest Party of 2021 Is About to Start
Billions of bugs will soon burst out of the ground to begin the mass gathering of a lifetime. It’s hard not to feel jealous.
Vaccine Cheat Days Are Adding Up
Vaccinated and unvaccinated people are getting more lax with behavior at a time when vigilance really matters.
So What’s the Point of Playtime?
Scientists think it’s valuable, but they’re not quite sure why.