Articles by James Maynard
How Graphene Is Made And How It Was Discovered
Graphene could radically change electronics in the coming decades, but how is it manufactured? And what is the odd story of its invention, more than a decade ago?
Top 5 Reasons Aliens May Be Living Next Door
Will it take 1,500 years to find alien life, or will humans be joined soon by other civilization? There is a growing body of evidence aliens may be closer than we think.
Strawberry Moon Seen On Summer Solstice June 20
This summer solstice also features another special treat - the strawberry moon! How can you see it? The summer solstice taking place on June 20 will also feature an additional treat — the annual strawberry moon.
Meet The X-57 Maxwell - NASA's Newest Experimental Plane
The latest experimental NASA aircraft in a decade, the X-57, has been unveiled by the space agency. What is this airplane like?
Ice Age Giants Fell From Onslaught Of Humans, Climate Change
Giant animals which roamed the Earth at the end of the ice age may have met their match from a one-two punch of human hunters and climate change. What was life like during this distant era?
ALMA Detects Most Distant Oxygen Galaxy Ever Seen
The most distant oxygen ever seen in the visible universe was recorded in an ancient galaxy. What can this finding tell us about the earliest epoch of the Cosmos?
Gravitational Wave Astronomy - Has LIGO Launched A New Science?
The LIGO observatory has recorded gravitational waves for the second time. Could this be the beginning of a new branch of science?
Bizarre Meteorite - First Of Its Kind - Unearthed In Sweden
A quarry in Sweden is the resting place of a meteorite unlike any ever seen on Earth. What is the history and geology of this bizarre extinct meteorite?
Butter From 2,000 Years Ago Discovered In Ireland
A 22-pound chuck of butter churned 20 centuries ago has been found in Ireland. Would you believe it is still edible?
Prebiotic Chiral Molecules Found In Space For The First Time
Chiral molecules, essential to the operation of life processes, have been discovered outside the solar system for the first time. What can this mean to the search for life in space?
Was Antikythera Mechanism A 2,100-Year-Old Computer?
An ancient device thought to predict astronomical events may have been a computer built 21 centuries ago. Why did ancient Greeks build this machine?
Accidental Deaths Of Americans Reach Record High
Accidental deaths are now more common than ever before across the United States. What is driving this increase in fatalities?
Dead Zone In Gulf Of Mexico As Large As Connecticut?
A dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico could be as large as the state of Connecticut, researchers predict. What do we know about this marine zone of death?
One-Third Of World Can No Longer See Milky Way
Light pollution is now drowning out views of the Milky Way for one-third of people on the Earth. Where is the problem the worst, and what issues could this present?
Could Arctic Amplification Lead To Greater Loss Of Arctic Ice?
Arctic amplification, resulting from the loss of sea ice, could be driving global warming. How does this effect alter the global climate?
What Is The Mysterious Monument Discovered At Petra?
An ancient, massive structure has been discovered in the city of Petra in Jordan. What was the purpose of this once-magnificent building?
Four New Elements Named On The Periodic Table
The periodic table is now a little longer after the announcement of a series of new element names. How were they named?
My Precious! Real-Life Hobbits Go Back 700,000 Years
The ancient hobbit people of Indonesia were living on the island of Flores 700,000 years before previously believed. What was the origin of these tiny ancient people?
Archerfish Can Recognize Human Faces - That's No Fish Story
Fish are able to recognize human faces, researchers at the University of Oxford have discovered. Remember that the next time you are making faces in your aquarium!
LISA Pathfinder Hunts Gravitational Waves In Freefall Experiment
A gravitational wave detector could be manufactured, which would work in space following an exciting new experiment. How could the LISA Pathfinder investigation confirm or deny a prediction made by Albert Einstein a century ago?
The Battle Over The Synthetic Human Genome
The creation of a completely synthetic human genome may soon be within the reach of genetic scientists. Will this development yield greater developments in medicine or a new age of eugenics?
Saturn Is Shining Brightly - Here's How To See It!
Saturn is easily visible in the night sky, shining much more brightly than normal. What is causing this dazzling light show?
Jupiter's Clouds Float On Vast Ammonia Deposits
Astronomers have now peered beneath the outer layer of clouds on Jupiter using a powerful network of radio telescopes. What did they find?
Odd Polygons Suggest Pluto Underwent A Face-Lift
Pluto is far more active than anyone believed. Now, astronomers have discovered the secret of mysterious polygons found on the surface.
Peppered Moths Changed Their Colors With Industrial Revolution
What drives the colors in wings of butterflies and moths? New research reveals how these markings are made, answering a question that goes back more than 150 years.
Did Asteroids Bring Water To Interior Of Moon Long Ago?
Could water found on the moon have arrived there from asteroids? A new study suggests that could be the case.
Fish From Amazon With Human-Like Teeth Found In California
A pacu fish, related to piranhas, was found in a pond in San Francisco. How dangerous are these creatures?
Image Of A Lifetime From Pluto And New Horizons
New Horizons has imaged the surface of Pluto like never before, and likely never again within decades. What does this magnificent new photograph show?
International Space Station Expands With New Inflatable Room
The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module has been expanded in space for the first time. Why is NASA considering inflatable compartments for spaceships traveling to Mars?
Bizarre Ancient Marsupials Had Taste For Snails
Malleodectes mirabilis was an ancient marsupial with a taste for escargot, which goes back 15 million years. Here is the the story of how this creature was discovered.
