This Week’s NOVA Next Feature
In the far future, will astronomers be able to deduce the origins of the universe? NOVA Next contributor Sarah Scoles
Support Provided ByLearn More
In other news:
- A wave of mental illness could be triggered by Zika.
- Contact lenses are great … but if you’re not careful they can cause blindness.
- More candidates don’t produce better leaders— at least, for pigeons .
- New 3D bioprinter uses living cells as “ink.”

What We’re Reading
- Also known by its Latin name Panicum effusum , “hairy panic” is invading Australian homes. [BBC News]
- These hackers are asking a hospital to hand over $3.4 million in bitcoin in exchange for restoring the hospital’s computers. [Mic]
- Speaking a second language could make you less fluent in your native language. Of course, that’s not a reason not to learn. [Wired]
- For many people, the amount of acid in their digestive systems surges when they stop taking PPIs. [NPR]
- More American teenagers than ever are reaching world-class heights in math . [The Atlantic]
Did you miss "Iceman Reborn" this week? Watch it streaming online.