Articles by James Maynard
Satellite helps determine ocean carbon export flux
What role does the feces of microscopic animals play in regulating the global environment? And why did it take a satellite to see it?
Pre-Bible era masks go on display in Jerusalem
Ancient stone masks, dating from 9,000 years ago, are now on display in Jerusalem. But what is so special about the way they are displayed?
71-year old woman survives stings from over 70,000 angry bees: Here's what really happened
A woman attacked by 70,000 bees will live through the attack. But what raised the anger of the flying insects?
So there you are: New cosmic map locates Milky Way hiding among 'Council of Giants'
Beyond our own Local Group of galaxies lies another family of star systems. But why are they arranged in a ring?
Help NASA save the world by hunting down dangerously close asteroids and maybe win $35,000
How can you win $35,000 and (maybe) save the Earth at the same time? Take a look into NASA's newest challenge for private scientists!
Our ancestor was a sponge. No, really
Sponges are one of the most primitive animals on Earth. So, how did they lead to us? Once considered merely a dish washing tool, scientists now believe these animals helped oxygenate the planet.
Volcano heat saved species from Ice Age death
Could volcanoes - usually the harbingers of death - be responsible for saving species from ice ages? A new study of lifeforms in Antarctica shows this may be the case.
Asian grass carp pose threat to Great Lakes
Asian grass carp could pose a significant threat to the Great Lakes by possibly pushing other species into extinction.
Cosmos and Neil deGrasse Tyson may just help reignite our waning interest in science
Will Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey re-awaken interest in science among Americans? Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey is on the air, bringing the classic series to the airwaves.
South Lake Mammoth needs a name - Here's how to help
A Columbian Mammoth was unearthed near Seatlle in February. Here's how to give it a name! The South Lake Union Mammoth roamed the Earth 20,000 years ago.
Torvosaurus gurneyi: How Europe's biggest and fiercest dinosaur got its name
Europe's largest hunter of its day had a head larger than a human, with four-inch teeth. But what is the unusual origin of the name Torvosaurus gurneyi?
Magnetism explains mystery behind protoplanetary disk's infrared radiation
Developing stars give off more infrared radiation than they should, and here's why it happens!
Death stars in Orion decide fate of planetary systems
Bright, massive stars can doom young planetary systems. So, how do they help give birth to new stars?
World's thinnest LED is thinner than human hair and yet strong and energy efficient
The thinnest LED ever designed may be the thinnest type ever possible. So, where does this take the electronics industry?
Plasma saves the Earth from solar storms - Here's how!
Magnetic storms or solar storms can cause problems with communications and electronics. Only plasma may stand between the Earth and the mighty disturbances.
Cosmos reboot with Neil deGrasse Tyson: 13 new episodes after 34 years - What to expect
Cosmos is back on the air Sunday, March 9, after 34 years hiatus. Here is what's old - and new - in the updated series hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Multiferroic technology may one day make computer chips 1000 times more power efficient
Future computer processors may be 1,000 times more energy-efficient than today. That may also hold the secret to even smaller electronics.
Butterfly sex genes fool predators
A doublesex gene in one species of butterfly allows the insects to look like toxic insects. But, why can only females do this?
Stonehenge mystery solved: Prehistoric glockenspiels (maybe)
The mystery of Stonehenge may finally be revealed. Was the ancient structure a prehistoric percussion instrument?
Caught on Hubble camera: Mysterious disintegration of massive asteroid P/2013 R3
An asteroid discovered last year has been spotted breaking up by the Hubble Space Telescope. But, what's causing that to happen?
Forget New York. Cahokia was America's first multicultural hot pot
Cahokia was the first great city in North America. A thousand years ago, it was larger than New York or Philadelphia during the Revolution. Where did all those people come from?
Human hamster wheel draws curious onlookers in NY
Brooklyn performance artists are spending ten days living in a human-sized hamster wheels. Here is the story of why they're doing it, and when you can see them.
Icy comets bombard exoplanet in Beta Pictoris planetary system: Origin of life?
The most violent planetary system ever seen is right next door. Comets are destroyed in a cloud of poisonous gas. How could this mean we may be witnessing the beginning of life in another star system?
Monster black hole RX J1131-1231 spins at over half the speed of light
A massive black hole has been spotted rotating at over half the speed of light. But, what does that tell us about the life of the mysterious object?
Obama tackles California drought problem with new law
The National Integrated Drought Information System Reauthorization Act provides an early-warning system, predicting droughts. The program has just been renewed by Congress and the U.S. president.
Snailfish goes where no man has gone before - deep, deep below
A catch of snailfish has revealed secrets about the greatest depths at which the animals may live. But, why do they smell so bad?
Fish die from chilly reception in Missouri
Missouri residents are calling wildlife authorities, reporting large numbers of dead fish in waterways across the state. Some people think it's caused by pollution, but Missouri officials have another explanation.
Are clinical researchers neglecting women? Probably
Even when diseases primarily affect women, they are ignored in studies. Here's why that might happen.
New feathered dinosaurs found in Chinese Jurassic Park Jehol Biota
A new biota of dinosaurs has been discovered in a Chinese fossil bed. Remains include fossilized soft tissue, and the finding could change much of what we know about evolution.
Asteroid 2014 DX110 barely misses Earth: Flyby serves as warning of possible doomsday
2014 DX110 may have barely missed us, Wednesday, but the Earth is in danger from millions of similar objects, dubbed Near Earth Objects (NEOs), speeding through space.
