Joe Palca
Stories
-
Science
The Convoluted Story Of How The First Atoms Of Tennessine Were Created
Tennessine is an extremely rare element. Only a few dozen atoms of it have ever been produced. The tale of how the first atoms of Tennessine were created is complicated.
-
Science
A 'Mole' Isn't Digging Mars: NASA Engineers Are Trying To Find Out Why
After the InSight lander had trouble drilling a sophisticated thermometer into the Martian surface, a Plan B also didn't work, and the instrument ended up backing itself out of the ground.
-
NASA Scientists Have A New Way To Try And Free InSight Lander That's Stuck On Mars
A sophisticated thermometer on NASA's Mars InSight lander has been stuck for months. It was supposed to drive down 16 feet into the Martian soil but stopped. So scientists used a novel way to free it.
-
Science
An App That Can Catch Early Signs Of Eye Disease In A Flash
After his son developed a rare eye cancer, a chemist in Texas developed a smart phone app that uses a camera and artificial intelligence to detect early signs of eye disease.
-
Health
A Speedy Test For Norovirus Could Help Water Supplies Check For Contamination
Flooding from storms can sometimes lead to contamination from sewage in the drinking water supply. Scientists are trying to develop a quicker test for one troublesome contaminant: norovirus.
-
Health
Want To Know What's In Your Sweat? There's A Patch For That
Scientists are getting closer to developing a wearable patch that can measure hydration and other health markers — in sweat. The hope is it could give athletes more data to boost their performance.
-
Animals
Maybe The Way To Control Locusts Is By Growing Crops They Don't Like
A lab at Arizona State University tries to find new ways to combat the global scourge of locusts. One solution may have to do with farming practices.
-
Science
Chile And Telescopes Are A Match Made In Heaven
The South American country is home to the Andes Mountains and the Atacama Desert, places that have some of the stillest and driest air in the world. That makes them ideal for astronomy.
-
New Telescope Promises To Revolutionize Astronomy
A powerful telescope is taking shape in the Chilean Andes. When finished, it will repeatedly image huge swaths of the sky, searching for rare events such as merging stars and other events.
-
Science
Total Eclipse Hits Chile, Home To Half Of World's Telescopes
A lot of important astronomy is being done thanks to telescopes stationed in the mountains of Chile, where researchers are studying developments in space.