The cockroach

One gross, yucky pest gives up its secret!

An extermination trick that married insecticide with sugar worked for a while -- but then suddenly lost its power against roaches. Now science tells us why, as it highlights once again how human actions affect natural selection. More »

Ancient water = ancient habitat?

Pools of water in a Canadian mine are 1+ billion years old!

Geologic dating shows that water has been trapped more than 2 kilometers underground since before the Cambrian explosion. This water contains chemicals that support bacteria in other places. Could the deep biosphere contain relics of the most primitive life? Could such life exist on Mars? More »

Science Teachers: Hip yourself to a great resource!

Teaching the science standards? Looking for extra-credit projects?

Testing seafood in the Gulf

System generally worked, but needs improvement

Fish contamination was rare after the giant oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, with levels of dangerous hydrocarbons well below "levels of concern." But nobody looked systematically at heavy metals, the Gulf still has a lot of oil, and the many different hydrocarbons may have unpredictable impacts. More »