Archivo: The Atlantic
The Very Optimistic New Argument for Dimming the Sky
Geo-engineering won’t hurt a bit, at least compared with climate change—and it deserves serious investigation, according to the authors of a recent study.
Moving Stars Might Speed the Spread of Alien Life
Intelligent planet-hoppers could populate a galaxy in as little as 650,000 years.
Nuclear Power Is Not the Moderate Answer to Climate Change
The technology can do a lot of good. But it cannot match the ambition of a Green New Deal.
The ‘Golden Death’ Bacterium Found in a Rotten Apple
This “spectacular” pathogen dissolves its host from inside out.
Rosalind, a New Mars Rover, Is in Rare Company
The cosmos is crowded with the names of men, but a 2020 mission will make the balance a little less lopsided.
The Lab Discovering DNA in Old Books
Artifacts have genetic material hidden inside, which can help scientists understand the past.
The Reason Some Hyperlocal Languages Survive
Uncommon tongues are more likely to last when young people are actively speaking them.
The Gene That Turns Bees Mean
Only a tiny difference separates docile workers from those that can dethrone a queen.
The Wild Experiment That Showed Evolution in Real Time
By placing wild mice in large outdoor enclosures, an ambitious team of scientists has illustrated the full process of natural selection in a single study.
The 500-Year-Long Science Experiment
In 2014, microbiologists began a study that they hope will continue long after they’re dead.