Year in review: AlphaGo scores a win for artificial intelligence
Science News, December 2016In a hotel ballroom in Seoul, South Korea, early in 2016, a centuries-old strategy game offered a glimpse into the fantastic future of computing.
First signs of boron on Mars hint at past groundwater, habitability
Science News, December 2016A new element has been found in Mars’ chemical arsenal.
Fossil microbes show how some life bounced back after dino-killing impact
Science News, December 2016The first post-apocalypse tenants of ground zero of the dinosaur extinction didn’t waste much time moving in.
Glacier melting’s link to climate change confirmed
Science News, December 2016The decades-long dwindling of glaciers is “categorical evidence of climate change,” a new study affirms
Adapted for Science News for Students.
Third kind of quasicrystal found in Russian meteorite
Science News, December 2016Another “impossible” crystal has been found locked inside a Russian meteorite.
Solar panels are poised to be truly green
Science News, December 2016The solar panel industry has nearly paid its climate debt. The technology will break even in terms of energy usage by 2017 and greenhouse gas emissions by 2018 at the latest, if it hasn’t done so already, researchers calculate.
Wastewater cap could dunk Oklahoma quake risk
Science News, November 2016New wastewater disposal regulations in Oklahoma will be enough to steady the state’s shaky ground, new research predicts.
How a ring of mountains forms inside a crater
Science News, November 2016Building mountains in minutes requires deep rocks and a big bang. Adapted for Science News for Students.
There’s something cool about Arctic bird poop
Science News, November 2016Seabird poop helps the Arctic keep its cool, new research suggests.
Say hola to La Niña
Science News, November 2016El Niño’s meteorological sister, La Niña, has officially taken over.