The Incredible Physics of Simone Biles' Yurchenko Double Pike

Calculating angular velocity and the moment of inertia isn’t quite as hard as competing in the Olympic gymnastics tournament—but it’s pretty darn tough.

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DNA Has Four Bases. Some Viruses Swap in a Fifth

Dozens of viruses don't use the same four nucleotide bases found in all other life. New work shows how this is possible—and perhaps more common than we think.

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Cities Aren't the Wildlife 'Deserts' Scientists Once Feared

As more animals are spotted in urban areas, researchers recognize how cities can play a significant role in fostering biodiversity.

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The Pandemic Olympics, Vaccine Misinformation, and More News

Catch up on the most important updates from this week.

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How Mockingbirds Compose Songs Just Like Beethoven

The birds aren’t producing sounds at random. Some of their strategies are surprisingly similar to ones used by humans.

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The Olympics Could Be a Covid-19 ‘Super-Evolutionary Event’

In a warped version of international cooperation, the Games could provide a place for variants of the virus to spread and then return home with athletes.

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Scientists Just ‘Looked’ Inside Mars. Here’s What They Found

InSight and Perseverance have sent back unprecedented data on everything from marsquakes to the Red Planet’s inner layers.

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Jeff Bezos Goes to Space. Day Three: Reentry

For the Amazon and Blue Origin founder, suborbital space tourism is just the first step toward something much bigger.

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These Bendy Chips Fit in Unusual Places

Researchers think these flexible semiconductors will be able to monitor your heartbeat or tell you whether your milk has spoiled.

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Jeff Bezos Goes to Space. Day Two: Blastoff

The day was a career highlight for the Amazon and Blue Origin founder. But the real star of the show was Wally Funk.

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