How does the brain think?

Eating right, exercising, playing sports, reading and journaling are just a few of the ways you can keep your brain in top shape.

Jennifer Robinson, Professor of Psychology, Auburn University • conversation
May 6, 2024 ~8 min

Why are some people faster than others? 2 exercise scientists explain the secrets of running speed

Your sprinting skills have a lot to do with genetics, but your brain also plays a big role.

Elizabeth (Kip) Webster, Associate Professor of Exercise Science, University of Tennessee • conversation
April 29, 2024 ~7 min


Why don’t female crickets chirp?

Only male crickets have wing structures that produce sound, but females are very good at following the signal.

Floyd W. Shockley, Entomologist and Collections Manager, Smithsonian Institution • conversation
April 22, 2024 ~6 min

From thousands to millions to billions to trillions to quadrillions and beyond: Do numbers ever end?

Here’s a game: Tell a friend to give you any number and you’ll return one that’s bigger. Just add ‘1’ to whatever number they come up with and you’re sure to win.

Manil Suri, Professor of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Maryland, Baltimore County • conversation
April 15, 2024 ~8 min

Could a telescope ever see the beginning of time? An astronomer explains

Now out in space for more than two years, the James Webb Space Telescope is a stunningly sophisticated instrument.

Adi Foord, Assistant Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Maryland, Baltimore County • conversation
April 8, 2024 ~9 min

Why aren’t there solar-powered cars?

It’s common to see solar panels on rooftops and fields, but they aren’t widespread on cars − yet.

Chen Liu, Associate Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Clarkson University • conversation
April 1, 2024 ~7 min

What is dirt? There’s a whole wriggling world alive in the ground beneath our feet, as a soil scientist explains

Rock dust is only part of the story of soil. Living creatures, many of them too tiny to see, keep that soil healthy for growing everything from food to forests.

Brian Darby, Associate Professor of Biology, University of North Dakota • conversation
March 25, 2024 ~7 min

How do airplanes fly? An aerospace engineer explains the physics of flight

People have been flying airplanes for well over a century. Engineers know how to balance all the forces at play, but still aren’t exactly sure how some of the physics of flight actually works.

Craig Merrett, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Clarkson University • conversation
March 18, 2024 ~8 min


How is snow made? An atmospheric scientist describes the journey of frozen ice crystals from clouds to the ground

There are an infinite number of paths an ice crystal can take before you touch it.

Alexandria Johnson, Professor of Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University • conversation
Feb. 26, 2024 ~6 min

Why does a leap year have 366 days?

Humans have synced their calendars to the sun and moon for centuries, but every so often, these systems need a little correction.

Bhagya Subrayan, PhD Student in Physics and Astronomy, Purdue University • conversation
Feb. 19, 2024 ~6 min

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