Latest articles by Victoria Atkinson
Mineral sunscreen leaves an annoying white cast on skin — this new formula could change that
Scientists have developed a new approach to formulating mineral sunscreen that could prevent it from leaving a white cast on the skin.
'It's telling us there's something big going on': Unprecedented spike in atmospheric methane during the COVID-19 pandemic has a troubling explanation
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the atmosphere temporarily lost its ability to break down methane, leading to a huge spike in the greenhouse gas.
Lifespan may be 50% heritable, study suggests
A new study suggests that lifespan might be 50% heritable — although for now, it's hard to know if the finding applies across diverse populations.
New study of chemical reactions in space 'could impact the origin of life in ways we hadn't thought of'
The complex building blocks of life can form spontaneously in space, a new lab experiment shows.
Metal compounds identified as potential new antibiotics, thanks to robots doing 'click chemistry'
Using robots and click chemistry, scientists built potential active ingredients for future antibiotics that contain metal.
What's the oldest river in the world?
The oldest river predates the dinosaurs. But how do we know this?
Why doesn't stomach acid burn through our stomachs?
The hydrochloric acid in your stomach can burn through metal — so why doesn't it burn through your stomach?
Gray hair may have evolved as a protection against cancer, study hints
Aging comes with graying hair, which may be a sign of the body lowering its risk of cancer, a study suggests.
Are free radicals really that bad for you?
Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that are missing an electron. They get a bad rap, but could they actually have any benefits?
Newfound antibiotic shows '100 times' more potency against drug-resistant bacteria than its predecessor
Scientists have discovered a never-before-seen antibiotic that shows promising in treating drug-resistant infections.
Why does boiling water have bubbles, except in a microwave?
Bubbles are usually the first sign that water’s coming to the boil, but heating it in a microwave seems to skip this important step. Here’s what’s going on.
On Saturn's largest moon, water and oil would mix — opening the door to exotic chemistry in our solar system
On Saturn's largest moon, Titan, molecules that would never mix on Earth are mixing together, seemingly defying a fundamental rule of chemistry.
Why does medicine taste bad?
Medicines help us recover from illness, but sometimes they taste gross. Why is that?
What are the 'magic numbers' in nuclear physics?
Why do some elements decay in minutes, while others last billions of years? Certain "magic numbers" of nuclear particles may make all the difference.
Are alpha males real?
The term "alpha male" was coined in 1970 to describe wolves. But what does science think about the term now?
Why do some people grow 'chemo curls' after cancer treatment?
After chemotherapy, some people get "chemo curls" and other changes to their hair texture and appearance. But why?
Scientists have finally made an elusive meteorite diamond, predicted to be 50% harder than Earth diamonds
Meteorite diamonds, which could be 58% harder than ordinary diamonds, have finally been made in the lab.
Scientists heat gold to 14 times its melting point — without turning it into a liquid
Scientists have used an ultrafast laser to heat solid gold to 14 times its melting point without turning the metal into liquid.
Can other metals be turned into gold?
Other metals might be worth their weight in gold, but can they be turned into it?
The 'gender gap' in math is not innate — something about school drives it
A new study of schoolchildren in France suggests that boys are not innately better at math. Some aspect of schooling appears to drive the "gender gap."
Parker Solar Probe captures closest-ever photos of the sun during record-breaking flight
During a record-smashing flight through the sun’s corona in Dec. 2024, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe captured the closest-ever images of our home star. Now, NASA has finally revealed what the daredevil probe saw.
What color is moonlight?
What color is moonlight typically, and what other colors can moonlight look like from our perspective on Earth?
Why are tropical animals so colorful?
Many animals in the tropics are colorful for a number of reasons, including some you might not expect.
Nuclear fusion record smashed as German scientists take 'a significant step forward' to near-limitless clean energy
Germany's Wendelstein 7-X stellarator has set a new benchmark for fusion reactors, bringing commercial, near-limitless clean energy one step closer to reality.
