How a fake coronavirus sample could help scientists tackle the real thing
When Dr. Soo Khim Chan runs what appears to be a regular virus sample through a COVID-19 test, she knows that if all goes well, it will come back positive.…
How you’ll know the COVID-19 vaccines are safe
There’s an excellent reason why you’ve never seen someone suffering the ills of smallpox, with hard, scabbing pustules forming on their body “like peas under the skin.” It’s the same…
Amazed astronaut in SpaceX capsule shoots video of our planet
Look at that. NASA astronaut Victor Glover blasted into Earth’s orbit aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon craft last week. Soon after, Glover and three other astronauts safely docked to the…
Ivanka Trump knows nothing about how greenhouse gases work
In a tweet about greenhouse gases, Ivanka Trump has redefined ignorance. On Tuesday, the president’s daughter, an official adviser to the president, tweeted about a huge drop in U.S. greenhouse…
CDC has bad news about your Thanksgiving gathering
There’s an excellent reason why the United States’ top infectious disease expert isn’t gathering with family outside his home for Thanksgiving this year. Infected people without symptoms, who might feel…
Adorable AND educational playdough surgery walks us through a C-section
Well this is a delight. A Cesarean section, or C-section as it’s commonly called, is a surgical alternative to vaginal delivery. It’s not necessarily the ideal way to bring a…
Rainn Wilson wants you to get serious about the fight against climate change
Moving forward requires focus. Mashable’s Social Good Series is dedicated to exploring pathways to a greater good, spotlighting issues that are essential to making the world a better place. When…
Impressive ‘dueling’ T. rex and triceratops fossils going on public display
A fossilized pair of Cretaceous dinos known as the “dueling dinosaurs” were preserved in incredible condition with evidence suggesting that the two may have been locked in a mortal struggle…
SpaceX’s Saturday launch of Sentinel-6 is a first step toward leveling up climate studies
Saturday’s SpaceX launch may be a small step for a company that is making increasingly regular trips into orbit, but the latest mission’s payload represents a giant step for climate…
Gifts to stay warm in the wintry outdoors, from a former park ranger
The author Alfred Wainwright, who wrote famed guidebooks of the outdoors, knew how to stay comfortable outside. “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing,” is a quote…