The Online Spider Market Is Massive—and Crawling With Issues
A new study shows the enormous extent of the global arachnid trade, one that might be undermining wild populations.
Astronomers Tally the Growing Carbon Footprint of Space Science
Observatories require electricity and computing power to process data from deep space. Is there a way to make them run greener?
Offshore Wind Turbines Could Mess With Ships’ Radar Signals
A new study finds that turbines can muddle ships’ navigational systems, obscuring the location of smaller boats or creating misleading images on radar screens.
Scientists Capture Airborne Animal DNA for the First Time
Researchers filtered the air around two zoos and identified genetic material from dozens of species, a technique that could help track and conserve wildlife.
Climate Change May Make Hurricanes Hit Sooner and Last Longer
A new study modeling storm behavior under a warmer climate finds Boston and Norfolk will face higher risk from floods as they crawl along the East Coast.
Are Green Jet Fuels Finally Ready for Takeoff?
A first commercial test flight shows how fuel made from plants, not petroleum, could make flying cleaner.
West Point Chemists Re-Create Medieval Gunpowder Recipes
Following an antique manuscript, researchers mixed up (and then blew up) some early formulations to learn how explosive-making has evolved.
An Outdated Grid Has Created a Solar Power Economic Divide
Utilities have upgraded the infrastructure for rooftop power in richer neighborhoods, but low-income areas don’t have the same capacity.
Titan’s Strange Chemical World Gets Simulated in Tiny Tubes
A research chemist mixed nitrogen, methane, and other molecules to re-create the conditions that might harbor life on one of Saturn’s moons.