Scientists Solve Mystery of Earth’s Shifting Poles
A look beneath Earth’s surface at what may be causing the planet’s poles to wander back and forth.
Climate Change Takes Flight in New Novel
An ecological anomaly is at the center of the story in Barbara Kingsolver’s “Flight Behavior.”
Sandy’s CT Scan, and Other Vital Images
Satellites looked at Sandy this week, and they also looked in.
As Storm Recovery Continues, Looking to the Future
With Sandy leaving destruction in her wake, a look at how cities might plan for future storms.
Plunge Into the Science of BASE Jumping
BASE stands for the objects the practitioners of the sport jump from: buildings, antennas, spans, earth. Wingsuits are sometimes involved; parachutes, always.
Winter Weather Predictions—Science or Folklore?
The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts winter weather months in advance. But how scientific are those predictions? And are NOAA and Accuweather any better at the art of seasonal forecasting?
When Infections ‘Spillover’
Will the next human pandemic start in an animal? Writer David Quammen talks about Ebola, HIV and other diseases that ‘spillover’ from animals to humans.
Tracking the Ozone Hole, as It Waxes and Wanes
The Antarctic ozone hole reaches its largest size by late September—but then it disappears again.
Curiosity Rover Gets the ‘Scoop’ on Mars
Did the rover shed a piece of plastic while collecting its first scoop of Martian soil?