Superheavy-lift rockets like SpaceX’s Starship could transform astronomy by making space telescopes cheaperMartin Elvis, Smithsonian Institution
Meth inflames and stimulates your brain through similar pathways – new research offers potential avenue to treat meth addictionHabibeh Khoshbouei, University of Florida and Marcelo Febo, University of Florida
Grok produces sexualized photos of women and minors for users on X – a legal scholar explains why it’s happening and what can be doneWayne Unger, Quinnipiac University
Risks young chimps take as they swing through the trees underscore role of protective parenting in humansLaura M. MacLatchy, University of Michigan and Lauren Sarringhaus, James Madison University
Viral outbreaks are always on the horizon – here are the viruses an infectious disease expert is watching in 2026Patrick Jackson, University of Virginia
Americans generally like wolves − except when we’re reminded of our politicsAlexander L. Metcalf, University of Montana and Justin Angle, University of Montana
AI agents arrived in 2025 – here’s what happened and the challenges ahead in 2026Thomas Şerban von Davier, Carnegie Mellon University
Oldest known cremation in Africa poses 9,500-year-old mystery about Stone Age hunter-gatherersJessica C. Thompson, Yale University; Elizabeth Sawchuk, Stony Brook University (The State University of New York), and Jessica Cerezo-Román, University of Oklahoma
The next frontier in space is closer than you think – welcome to the world of very low Earth orbit satellitesSven Bilén, Penn State
Lower-cost space missions like NASA’s ESCAPADE are starting to deliver exciting science – but at a price in risk and trade‑offsAri Koeppel, Dartmouth College
Most normal matter in the universe isn’t found in planets, stars or galaxies – an astronomer explains where it’s distributedChris Impey, University of Arizona
Google’s proposed data center in orbit will face issues with space debris in an already crowded orbitMojtaba Akhavan-Tafti, University of Michigan
When darkness shines: How dark stars could illuminate the early universeAlexey A. Petrov, University of South Carolina
ByteDance’s agreement to sell TikTok puts app’s algorithm in the spotlight – a social media expert explains how the ‘For You’ page works and what’s to comeKelley Cotter, Penn State
People are getting their news from AI – and it’s altering their viewsAdrian Kuenzler, University of Denver; University of Hong Kong
What’s at stake in Trump’s executive order aiming to curb state-level AI regulationAnjana Susarla, Michigan State University
AI-generated political videos are more about memes and money than persuading and deceivingLisa Fazio, Vanderbilt University
Far-right extremists have been organizing online since before the internet – and AI is their next frontierMichelle Lynn Kahn, University of Richmond
With wolves absent from most of eastern North America, can coyotes replace them?Alex Jensen, North Carolina State University
Why it’s so hard to tell if a piece of text was written by AI – even for AIAmbuj Tewari, University of Michigan
Hacked phones and Wi-Fi surveillance have replaced Cold War spies and radio waves in the delusions of people with schizophreniaAlaina Vandervoort Burns, University of California, Los Angeles
Gazing into the mind’s eye with mice – how neuroscientists are seeing human vision more clearlyBilal Haider, Georgia Institute of Technology
Science has always been marketed, from 18th-century coffeehouse demos of Newton’s ideas to today’s TikTok explainersBeth DuFault, University of Portland
Songbirds swap colorful plumage genes across species lines among their evolutionary neighborsDavid Toews, Penn State
Can scientists detect life without knowing what it looks like? Research using machine learning offers a new wayAmirali Aghazadeh, Georgia Institute of Technology
People who talk with their hands seem more clear and persuasive – new researchGiovanni Luca Cascio Rizzo, University of Southern California
Newly discovered link between traumatic brain injury in children and epigenetic changes could help personalize treatment for recovering kidsLacey W. Heinsberg, University of Pittsburgh and Amery Treble-Barna, University of Pittsburgh
Flat Earth, spirits and conspiracy theories – experience can shape even extraordinary beliefsEli Elster, University of California, Davis
Writing builds resilience by changing your brain, helping you face everyday challengesEmily Ronay Johnston, University of California, Merced
Star-shaped cells make a molecule that can ‘rewire’ the brains of mice with Down syndrome – understanding how could lead to new treatmentsAshley Brandebura, University of Virginia
Why does orange juice taste bad after you brush your teeth?Linda Bartoshuk, George Washington University
Kids ask the questions. Scholars answer them.Be sure to include your name, age and where you live. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.Send in your question!
Why can’t I wiggle my toes one at a time, like my fingers?Steven Lautzenheiser, University of Tennessee
Why do people get headaches and migraines? A child neurologist explains the science of head pain and how to treat itKatherine Cobb-Pitstick, University of Pittsburgh