All Stories by Bethany Brookshire
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ArchaeologyA tour of ‘Four Lost Cities’ reveals modern ties to ancient people
In the book 'Four Lost Cities,' author Annalee Newitz uses cities of the past to show what might happen to cities in the future.
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Animals50 years ago, scientists made the case for a landlubbing Brontosaurus
In 1971, a scientist argued for a landbound Brontosaurus instead of a swampy swimmer. Recent evidence comes from studies of its ancient environment.
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ClimateOcean acidification may make some species glow brighter
Ocean organisms use bioluminescence for hunting, defense and more. A new analysis shows that declines in water pH might change who glows and how much.
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Health & Medicine50 years ago, urea showed promise as a sickle-cell treatment
In 1970, scientists found the first treatment for sickle-cell disease. 50 years later, they’re trying to cure it with CRISPR.
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NeuroscienceLonely brains crave people like hungry brains crave food
After hours of isolation, dopamine-producing cells in the brain fire up in response to pictures of humans, showing our social side runs deep.
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Animals‘Phallacy’ deflates myths about the penises of the animal kingdom
By touring nature’s many penises, Phallacy author Emily Willingham puts the human organ in its place.
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Health & MedicineFive big questions about when and how to open schools amid COVID-19
Researchers weigh in on how to get children back into classrooms in a low-risk way.
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Science & SocietyCollege biology textbooks still portray a world of white scientists
Despite recent efforts to include more women and people of color, it will be decades — or even centuries — before textbooks reflect student diversity.
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AnimalsThe ‘ratpocalypse’ isn’t nigh, according to service call data
A new study shows that rat-related reports in New York City went down during COVID-19 lockdowns compared with previous years during March and April.
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AnimalsCalculating a dog’s age in human years is harder than you think
People generally convert a dog’s age to human years by multiplying its age by seven. But a new study shows the math is way more complex.
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Health & MedicineHow making a COVID-19 vaccine confronts thorny ethical issues
COVID-19 vaccines will face plenty of ethical questions. Concerns arise long before anything is loaded into a syringe.
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Science & SocietyBiomedical studies are including more female subjects (finally)
In 2019, 49 percent of biomedical research articles had both male and female subjects, almost double the percentage a decade ago.