Curious Kids[1] is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [2]. “Is the Moon getting farther away from Earth?” – Judah, 9, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma The Moon is getting 1½ inches (3.8 centimeters) farther away[3] from the Earth every year.
... How to avoid seeing disturbing content on social media and protect your peace of mind
When graphic videos go viral, like the recent fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk[1], it can feel impossible to protect yourself from seeing things you did not consent to see. But there are steps you can take.
Social media platforms are designed to maximize engagement, not protect your peace of mind. The major platforms have also reduced their...
Scientists detected a potential biosignature on Mars – an astrobiologist explains what these traces of life are, and how researchers figure out their source
As the Perseverance rover[1] traversed an ancient river valley in Mars’ Jezero Crater back in July 2024, it drilled into the surface and extracted a sample from of a unique, striped rock called Chevaya Falls[2]. The rover’s instruments then analyzed the sample, which is called Sapphire Canyon[3], and surveyed the surrounding rock.
When...
‘Publish or perish’ evolutionary pressures shape scientific publishing, for better and worse
While developing his theory of natural selection, Charles Darwin was horrified by a group of wasps[1] that lay their eggs within the bodies of caterpillars, with the larvae eating their hosts alive from the inside-out.
Darwin didn’t judge the wasps. Instead, he was troubled by what they revealed about evolution. They showed natural...