Basic Research

How to cook the perfect Thanksgiving turkey, according to science

By Jamie Leventhal

Thanksgiving turkeys often come out dry and tasteless, but not this year. Here's how you can use basic chemistry to make a stunning main dish for you and your guests to gobble down.

The new definition of the kilogram will change the way we weigh everything

By Vicky Stein

On Friday, representatives from 57 nations will gather in a conference room in Versailles, France to redefine the kilogram. In other words: the way we weigh the world is about to change.

Climate change has intensified hurricane rainfall, and now we know how much

By Julia Griffin

Hurricane Harvey wasn’t an outlier. A new study reports that climate change intensified the rains of other recent cyclones by between 4 and 9 percent.

Why ‘mega wildfires’ are happening in November

By Nsikan Akpan

What everyone needs to know about why these fires are spreading so quickly so late in the year, and how to protect your homes and businesses from them.

How llamas could help us fight the flu

By Vicky Stein

Researchers now think they’re on the path to universal flu protection. The source of their new defense: llamas.

Why Hurricane Michael took everyone by surprise and what to expect after it’s gone

By Nsikan Akpan, Julia Griffin

At the moment, the reported links between Hurricane Michael and climate change are murky, at best.

Trio wins Nobel Prize by using chemistry to ‘evolve’ the building blocks of life

By Nsikan Akpan

This year’s chemistry Nobel also comes with some political controversy, as one of the winners has been accused of promoting anti-Israel views.

How alcohol, time and trying to forget trauma can change what we remember

By Nsikan Akpan

Here’s what science says about how alcohol, age and memory interplay, and how trying to forget a memory can reinforce or corrode it.

What if we could put our plastic trash to good use?

By Jamie Leventhal

Humans produce 420 million tons of plastic annually, most of which lands in the environment. With these two innovations, plastic could have a useful second life.