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Small businesses at the gateways to America’s national parks face 4 big risks – including changing boundaries and extreme weather
Rafting on the Colorado River is one of the outdoor activities available at the Red Cliffs Lodge near Moab, Utah. George Rose/Getty Images – By Nancy Forster-Holt, Clinical Associate Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of Rhode Island Published: 2026 Aug 14 – …
First mRNA flu vaccine has been approved for US adults
This landmark decision comes as a surprise given the FDA’s earlier stance on mRNA influenza vaccine research. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2026 Aug 06 – In a somewhat surprise announcement, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first US influenza vaccine …
How American society shields perpetrators of child sexual abuse
Several pictures provided by the Department of Justice on 2026 Jan 30, as part of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Martin Bureau/AFP via Getty Images – By Sarah K Lischer, Associate Professor Politics and International Affairs, Wake Forest University Published: 2026 Aug 13 – Widespread …
A little‑remembered Gilded Age millionaire helped make milk safe for American kids through his ‘retail giving’
A girl picks up milk at one of the depots funded by Nathan Straus to provide pasteurized milk to low-income families. Library of Congress – By Leslie Lenkowsky, Professor Emeritus of Public affairs and Philanthropic Studies, Indiana University Published: 2026 Aug 11 – The …
Lightning strikes kill thousands globally each year, but for those who survive, the storm is far from over
Survivors of lightning strikes often struggle to find physicians who know how to treat them. Rakesh Bakshi/AFP via Getty Images – By Daile Zhang, Assistant Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, University of North Dakota Published: 2026 Aug 10 – Every year, an estimated 6,000 …
Flesh‑eating bacteria are devouring limbs in warming waters worldwide − here’s how to protect yourself
Vibrio vulnificus infections are spreading across the U.S. because of climate change. CDC/Colorized by James Gathany – By Bill Sullivan, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University Published: 2026 Aug 11 – Flesh-eating bacteria sounds like the premise of a bad horror movie, but …
Just weeks before devastating wildfires hit, Spokane practiced a mass evacuation – the drill paid off
Police create evacuation corridors to quickly move vehicles out of a neighborhood threatened by a wildfire on 2026 Aug 01. AP Photo/Young Kwak – By Ashley Bosa, Postdoctoral Researcher, The Resilience Institute at Boise State University, Boise State University Published: 2026 Aug 06 – …
Adding an AI tool to Google Earth shook our trust in maps that has been centuries in the making
An 1818 map of western Africa shows the continent bisected by the mythical ‘Mountains of Kong’, based on the explorations of Mungo Park. Image: John Pinkerton’s A Modern Atlas via Wikimedia Commons – By James Cheshire, Professor of Geographic Information and Cartography, Department …
Living healthier longer is easier and more affordable than you think
You don’t need Silicon Valley to add years to your life, according to Harvard medical researchers. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2026 Aug 07 – Longevity has become a bit of a buzz word, and has become increasingly aligned with the tech industry. But …
DIY peptide injections are risky, and people may make serious mistakes when administering them
Gray-market peptides are not regulated by any health authority. Westend61/Getty Images By C. Michael White, Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy Practice, University of Connecticut Published: 2026 Aug 07 – DIY peptide injections, which promise to boost everything from weight loss and muscle-building to longevity and …
Taxi drivers rarely die of Alzheimer’s – how complex mental maps and spatial reasoning protect your brain
Figuring out a circuitous route between point A to point B can strengthen your brain. justhavealook/iStock via Getty Images Plus – By Hatim Sharif, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio Published: 2026 Aug 06 – Taxi …
Boulder is opening homes to Sundance visitors through a new license – who stands to benefit?
The Boulder Theater is one of many locations that will host screenings for the Sundance Film Festival in January 2027. Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post via Getty Images – By Tim Komarek, Associate Professor of Economics, Colorado State University Published: 2026 Aug 05 – …
How hackers attack municipal water systems – and why the utilities are so vulnerable
A July 2026 cyberattack targeted more than 30 water systems in Minnesota municipalities, including Plymouth. AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt – By William Akoto, Assistant Professor of Global Security, American University School of International Service Published: 2026 Aug 04 – Hackers tried to break into at …
Why the Spokane wildfires became so catastrophic
Andrew Rowley watches a wildfire burning from a distance after evacuating his home in Spokane, Wash., on 2026 Aug 01. AP Photo/Young Kwak – By Mojtaba Sadegh, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering, Boise State University; United Nations University And by John Abatzoglou, Professor of …
Bird droppings were a foundation of modern agriculture and American empire
An advertisement for guano to be used as fertilizer depicts not only seabirds but also a guano island. Bradley Fertilizer Company via Garden History – By Edward D. Melillo, William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of History and Environmental Studies, Amherst College Published: 2026 Jul …
Wildfires can generate tornadoes, lightning and other extreme weather, sometimes miles from the flames
A fire whirl, or fire tornado, rises from flames near Wofford Heights, Calif., in August 2021. David McNew/Getty Images – By Yunyao Li, Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas at Arlington Published: 2026 Jul 30 – We often think …
Foldable synthetic molecules could infiltrate and bust apart the toxic protein clumps causing Parkinson’s
Toxic clumps of abnormal proteins damage neurons and cause dementia. Juan Gaertner/Science Photo Library via Getty Images – By Sunil Kumar, Associate Professor of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Denver Published: 2026 Jul 31 – Current therapies for Parkinson’s disease and related …
Should you wash your prewashed lettuce? An infectious disease expert explains how to eat your greens safely during the cyclospora outbreak
Prewashed greens are extremely convenient, but whole heads of lettuce may be less risky during a cyclospora outbreak. CostaPPPR via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA – By Lisa Cuchara, Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Quinnipiac University Published: 2026 Jul 29 – Salads – along with other …
Compact 3D printer produces full-color models right on your desktop
The HeyGears G1X produces full-color 3D prints, so you don’t need to manually paint or finish them. HeyGears View 7 Images – By Abhimanyu Ghoshal 2026 Jul 27 – HeyGears’ upcoming 3D printer has a load of tricks up its sleeve, but the most …
Porous compound pulls 2 liters of water from air, and is factory-ready
The new material could help ease drought by extracting up to 1.8 liters of water from the air per day. Michaela St – Pexels View 5 Images – By Omar Kardoudi 2026 Jul 16 – The Mediterranean is getting hotter and drier, pushing scientists …
Simple outdoor flood alarm protects homes from rising waters
The battery-powered RiseAlert would simply be mounted on a pole, fence post, etc. downslope from a residence – no Wi-Fi connectivity or app would be required. Daniella Rempe – View 3 Images – By Maryna Holovnova 2026 Jul 27 – Climate change is reshaping …
A fraction of world’s seawater could meet energy needs for generations
There’s magnesium, lithium, nickel and platinum in that thar seawater. Depositphotos View 5 Images – By Etiido Uko 2026 Jul 26 – “Under the sea, Darling it’s better, Down where it’s wetter, Take it from me!” sang a certain Jamaican crab in The Little …
Creating synthetic life in a lab? SpudCell falls short of the goal, but raises even more useful questions
If synthetic cells are ever made, they may look like this illustration of translucent bubbles under the microscope. Westend61/Getty Images – By Tara Deans, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology Published: 2026 Jul 08 – Nature is beautiful, powerful and essential. …
‘Critically stressed’ US earthquake fault reaches 1,000-year pressure peak
The San Andreas Fault stretches 750 miles (1,200 km) through California, indicating where the Pacific plate and the North American plate meet. Ian Kluft/Wikimedia Commons/(CC By-SA 4.0) – By Bronwyn Thompson 2026 Jun 28 – The volatile seismic zone along the roughly 750-mile (1,200-km) …
The US has acknowledged Bears Ears and Grand Staircase as sacred for over a century, but keeps stripping away protections
A view of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument near Escalante, Utah. John Fowler from Placitas, New Mexico, U.S. via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY – By Kerri J. Malloy, Assistant Professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies, San José State University Published: 2026 Jul …
Daylight saving could affect your risk of developing eye disease
Losing sleep from a daylight saving time transition could raise the risk of eye diseases. E M R A L K Y/Pexels/Canva – By Mike McRae 2026 Jul 22 – While daylight saving may give us a little extra sunshine at the end of …
The antifa terrorism threat the Trump administration describes does not exist
Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during the political terrorism conference on 2026 Jul 16, in Washington. Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images – By Jason M. Blazakis, Professor of Practice and Director of Center on Terrorism, Extremism and Counterterrorism, Middlebury College …
How hot does it get in the desert? A climate scientist explains its blazing heat
Travelers to Death Valley are warned of the extreme heat conditions they may encounter. tobiasjo/iStock via Getty Images Plus – By Shuang-Ye Wu, Professor of Geology and Environmental Geosciences, University of Dayton Published: 2026 Jul 20 – Curious Kids is a series for …
How America’s newspapers lost their voice
What happened to newspaper editorials? RapidEye, iStock/Getty Images – By Ken Paulson, Director of the Free Speech Center, Middle Tennessee State University Published: 2026 Jul 20 – Hazel Brannon Smith was almost certainly the most unpopular woman in Mississippi when she wrote an editorial …
As the US turns 250, a forgotten founding influence helps explain its current unease
This painting depicts the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The Founding Fathers leaned on French philosopher Montesquieu as they designed the Constitution. GraphicaArtis/Archive Photos via Getty – By Robert A. Ballingall, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Maine Published: 2026 Jul 02 – As …
Bees of many species contain tiny magnetic particles – suggesting they may have an innate magnetic compass for navigation
Scientists don’t know how insects use a magnetic sense to navigate. Laura Russo – By Laura Russo, Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee Published: 2026 Jul 17 – A surprisingly large number and diversity of bee species – 74 out …
It became too easy to shout ‘aliens’, so SETI changed its rules
SETI has changed its rules regarding announcements of alien contact. Thinkstock Images/Photo Images/Canva – By Chris Young 2026 Jul 07 – For the first time in more than 15 years, the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) committee has significantly …
A perfect storm of factors is driving up US produce prices, but shoppers can still save
While U.S. produce prices are rising across the board, tomatoes are among the most affected. AP Photo/Marco Ugarte – By Elizabeth Canales, Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics, Mississippi State University Published: 2026 Jul 16 – From tomatoes and berries to lettuce and peppers, …
What does it mean to be ‘quantum’? A physicist explains the basics behind Einstein’s spooky actions at a distance
In quantum entanglement, you can learn something about one particle by observing the other in its pair, even across vast distances. koto_feja/E+ via Getty Images – By Aldo Romero, Professor of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia University Published: 2026 Jul 15 – Imagine …
EastDiet lowers risk of heart disease by 22% and belly fat by 17%
The eastern coastal region of China is an area associated with lower obesity, cardiovascular risk and higher life expectancy – and localized eating habits appear to be linked to this. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2026 Jul14 – China’s eastern coastal region is associated …
Why is Venus hotter than Mercury, when Mercury is closer to the Sun?
The surface of Venus, as reconstructed from radar data collected by NASA’s Magellan mission. NASA/JPL, CC BY-NC-SA – By Vahe Peroomian, Professor of Physics and Astronomy, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Published: 2026 Jul 13 Curious Kids is a series for …
Gallery: Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year finalists
Animal Behavior: “Strutting Tern” (Lord Howe Island, NSW), by Georgina SteytlerGeorgina Steytler/Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year/South Australian Museum. View 29 Images – By Bronwyn Thompson 2026 Jun 21 – Charged with sorting through 2,129 images from more than 500 people, judges have …
Cacti spines, snake fangs, snail love darts – oh my! How function drives the evolution of nature’s puncture tools
Jumping cholla cacti spines are a prime example of how evolution creates specialized puncture tools. Tony Cyphert/Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA – By Philip Anderson, Associate Professor of Biology and Biomechanics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Published: 2026 Jul 08 – Most people probably aren’t thinking about …
Teleoperated humanoid robots complete first-ever live surgery
Surgeons controlled the movements of the robots remotely to perform the procedures. UC San Diego. View 4 Images – By Omar Kardoudi 2026 Jul 10 – Surgeons at UC San Diego just handed the scalpel to two humanoid robots, who went on to complete …
Floating capsule auto-disinfects water without chemicals or battery
Scientists have developed a low-cost water detection and disinfection capsule that’s powered with a quick shake. Image rendered by ChatGPT – By Simon Heptinstall 2026 Jul 09 – An international team of scientists has created a portable water purifier that works simply by shaking …
Small businesses at the gateways to America’s national parks face 4 big risks – including changing boundaries and extreme weather
Rafting on the Colorado River is one of the outdoor activities available at the Red Cliffs Lodge near Moab, Utah. George Rose/Getty Images – By Nancy Forster-Holt, Clinical Associate Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of Rhode Island Published: 2026 Aug 14 – …
First mRNA flu vaccine has been approved for US adults
This landmark decision comes as a surprise given the FDA’s earlier stance on mRNA influenza vaccine research. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2026 Aug 06 – In a somewhat surprise announcement, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first US influenza vaccine …
How American society shields perpetrators of child sexual abuse
Several pictures provided by the Department of Justice on 2026 Jan 30, as part of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Martin Bureau/AFP via Getty Images – By Sarah K Lischer, Associate Professor Politics and International Affairs, Wake Forest University Published: 2026 Aug 13 – Widespread …
A little‑remembered Gilded Age millionaire helped make milk safe for American kids through his ‘retail giving’
A girl picks up milk at one of the depots funded by Nathan Straus to provide pasteurized milk to low-income families. Library of Congress – By Leslie Lenkowsky, Professor Emeritus of Public affairs and Philanthropic Studies, Indiana University Published: 2026 Aug 11 – The …
Lightning strikes kill thousands globally each year, but for those who survive, the storm is far from over
Survivors of lightning strikes often struggle to find physicians who know how to treat them. Rakesh Bakshi/AFP via Getty Images – By Daile Zhang, Assistant Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, University of North Dakota Published: 2026 Aug 10 – Every year, an estimated 6,000 …
Flesh‑eating bacteria are devouring limbs in warming waters worldwide − here’s how to protect yourself
Vibrio vulnificus infections are spreading across the U.S. because of climate change. CDC/Colorized by James Gathany – By Bill Sullivan, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University Published: 2026 Aug 11 – Flesh-eating bacteria sounds like the premise of a bad horror movie, but …
Just weeks before devastating wildfires hit, Spokane practiced a mass evacuation – the drill paid off
Police create evacuation corridors to quickly move vehicles out of a neighborhood threatened by a wildfire on 2026 Aug 01. AP Photo/Young Kwak – By Ashley Bosa, Postdoctoral Researcher, The Resilience Institute at Boise State University, Boise State University Published: 2026 Aug 06 – …
Adding an AI tool to Google Earth shook our trust in maps that has been centuries in the making
An 1818 map of western Africa shows the continent bisected by the mythical ‘Mountains of Kong’, based on the explorations of Mungo Park. Image: John Pinkerton’s A Modern Atlas via Wikimedia Commons – By James Cheshire, Professor of Geographic Information and Cartography, Department …
Living healthier longer is easier and more affordable than you think
You don’t need Silicon Valley to add years to your life, according to Harvard medical researchers. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2026 Aug 07 – Longevity has become a bit of a buzz word, and has become increasingly aligned with the tech industry. But …
DIY peptide injections are risky, and people may make serious mistakes when administering them
Gray-market peptides are not regulated by any health authority. Westend61/Getty Images By C. Michael White, Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy Practice, University of Connecticut Published: 2026 Aug 07 – DIY peptide injections, which promise to boost everything from weight loss and muscle-building to longevity and …