Natalie Wolchover

Scholars argue that a harsh winter may have spurred the accusations that led to the Salem Witch Trials in 1692.

Dark matter has been called into question by a new survey of stars. But physicists think the survey, and not dark matter itself, is flawed, because the alternatives to dark matter theory are weak.

Music seems to have a transformative effect on Alzheimer's and dementia patients. Scientists are starting to figure out why.

A couple in New Jersey claims their rental home is haunted, and is trying to renege on their lease, but will their argument stand in court?

Blame a very opinionated man named Noah Webster.

Falling into a black hole would be a rough ride, but there would be some major upshots.

In a new book, author Matthew Hutson accrues evidence that suggests we all believe in magic; he argues that magical thinking is actually good for us.

Have aliens erected a "monolith" on the surface of Mars?

A bright object that streaked across the daytime sky in Texas was actually a meteor, not a jet contrail.

A bright object that streaked across the daytime sky in Texas was actually a meteor, not a jet contrail.

A bright object that streaked across the daytime sky in Texas was actually a jet contrail, a NASA meteor expert confirms.

Spinning makes you dizzy because of inertia, an important principle of physics. Here's how it works.

Spring is fireball season, as exemplified by a huge meteor that streaked across the Texas sky during the day last week. Scientists can't explain the seasonal uptick.

Researchers have identified some of the genes that influence how nice you are.

After 2,000 years, have scientists managed to replicate the miracles of Jesus Christ?

New research shows that spit contains all sorts of juicy information about who we are, and how we are.

Concentrating on how you fall asleep tends to makes it not happen, so it's impossible to understand the process by doing it. Here's the neuroscience of what's going on.

A conceptual artist and philosopher says he has solved both the financial and energy crises by using money's natural instability to generate electricity.

Pre-chewing your infant's food may be an important and safe way to boost his or her immune system.

Australian researchers say that homework tends to hurt schoolchildren's test performance. Experts say the same holds true in the U.S.

Scientists and scientific publications don't often get to pull pranks or tell lies. When April 1st rolls around, they are ready to let rip.

There are three main scenarios for how a human-alien encounter might play out.

From the Higgs boson to chaos in nature, here's a quick run-through of contemporary physics.