Shipboard experiments suggested that sediment from the exploitation of metals in the ocean could be harmful to marine life. A treasure trove of metal is hiding at the bottom of the ocean. Potato-size nodules of iron and manganese litter the seafloor, and metal-rich crusts cover underwater mountains and chimneys along hydrothermal vents. Deep-sea mining companies…

Kamala Thiagarajan, Undark As far back as he can remember, Kali Chockalingam, now 53 and living in Echur, a village in South India, has loved snakes. He often got in trouble with his teachers for hiding them in his schoolbag. “As a young boy, I thought they looked like little dolls,” he said. Chockalingam hails…

Ask someone in the United States to name five events important to the country’s foundation and there’s a good chance they’ll mention the Pilgrims. That’s what researchers found a few years ago when they put that question to some 2,000 people. The Revolutionary War, Declaration of Independence, Christopher Columbus’ “discovery” of the Americas and the…

The holiday season is right around the corner. What better way is there to celebrate with your family than by immersing yourself in the serenity of nature? NBC 5, Telemundo 39 and Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary is pleased to offer “Holidays at the Heard,” a fun and festive family event on December…

A series of previously unreported alarms and clashes over US-funded research in China reveal long-standing friction between two groups of government scientists: those who prioritize international collaboration, and those who are kept up at night by the idea that cutting-edge technologies could end up in the wrong hands. By Katherine Eban Illustration by Isabel Seliger…

Nestled in northeast Baltimore County lies TALMAR: a haven of farmland, woods and soothing sounds. It’s a place people with disabilities can go for socializing, rejuvenating and hands-on horticulture therapy. We meet executive director Kate Joyce, and then stop by for visit with some folks who have been regulars for years! Links: TALMAR, Sensory-friendly Santa,…

Opinion editor Clay Wirestone recently called those who mitigate against COVID-19 infection “terrified,” comparing them to vaccine skeptics in their rejection of science. On the contrary, we are acting with caution because we understand science — and because we care about our neighbors. I moderate Still COVIDing in Kansas, a Facebook group for people who…

For nearly a quarter century, the International Space Station (ISS) has continuously hosted astronauts and science experiments as an enduring and beloved bastion of humanity in low-Earth orbit. Yet despite its successes, the space station’s days are numbered. In the coming months, NASA will be evaluating commercial proposals for vehicles capable of “decommissioning” the ISS—that…

In the unequal distribution of birds and other species, ecologists are tracing the impact of bigoted urban policies adopted decades ago. At a meeting of urban wildlife researchers in Washington, D.C., in June, one diagram made it into so many PowerPoint presentations that its recurrence became a running joke. The subject, though, was serious: The…