Sally celebrates complicated legacy of first US woman in space

Ride's life partner, Tam O’Shaughnessy, tells the full story of this iconic astronaut for the first time. [...]

China Approves the First Brain Chips for Sale—and Has a Plan to Dominate the Industry

While the United States and Europe are moving cautiously forward with clinical trials, China is racing toward the commercialization of brain implants. [...]

US Supreme Court Upholds Tennessee’s Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Minors

In United States v. Skrmetti, the Supreme Court ruled that Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors was not unconstitutional—the first case of its kind on which the court has ruled. [...]

We’ve had a Denisovan skull since the 1930s—only nobody knew

After years of mystery, we now know what at least one Denisovan looked like. [...]

Via the False Claims Act, NIH puts universities on edge

A funding pause at Michigan illustrates the uncertainty around new language in NIH grant awards. [...]

Spanish blackout report: Power plants meant to stabilize voltage didn’t

The Iberian blackout was a consequence of grid management, not any power source. [...]

Centuries before the Inca, Peru's wealthy imported parrots from afar

The Inca Empire's system of roads were built on centuries-old trade routes. [...]

Why are vertebrate eyes so different from those of other animals?

A new hypothesis proposes that our ancestors lost their eyes, then rebuilt them. [...]

The US Built a Site to Ensure Fair Access to Public Lands. Then Everything Went Wrong

Recreation.gov was supposed to make access to public lands more equitable and streamlined. Instead, it’s rife with bots and inequality, while a government contractor benefits. [...]