Chau Tu

Biovermiculations in Italy's Frasassi cave system

There's 'alien soil' growing deep underground

Biovermiculations, as they're known, are a testament to the possibilities of complex life underground.

There's 'alien soil' growing deep underground
Coyote, before and after recoloring.

How a major American museum gave its exhibits a dye job — for authenticity's sake

How a major American museum gave its exhibits a dye job — for authenticity's sake
Star trails, as seen from the International Space Station

See a handful of the incredible photos Astronaut Don Pettit has taken through the space station's windows

See a handful of the incredible photos Astronaut Don Pettit has taken through the space station's windows
MycoWorks' mushroom leather.

A start-up is imagining how mushrooms may be turned into leather

A start-up is imagining how mushrooms may be turned into leather
Mushroom photographer Noah Siegel

Next time you're walking in the woods, look out for ‘Dead Man’s Fingers’

Next time you're walking in the woods, look out for ‘Dead Man’s Fingers’
Deep Sky Companion

An artist finds inspiration in the celestial frustrations of astronomer Charles Messier

Pictures from space can be turned into amazing art.

An artist finds inspiration in the celestial frustrations of astronomer Charles Messier
A Santa Cruz island fox.

A group of endangered island foxes are breaking records for bouncing back from the brink of extinction

Several subspecies of California island foxes have shown the fastest recovery of any mammal on the Endangered Species List.

A group of endangered island foxes are breaking records for bouncing back from the brink of extinction
Carolina Reapers peppers

Eating the 'Carolina Reaper' pepper is 'like eating molten lava'

This bright red pepper is more than 100 times spicier than a jalapeño and believed to be the hottest pepper in the world. Thank the PuckerButt Pepper Company for its creation.

Eating the 'Carolina Reaper' pepper is 'like eating molten lava'
Sand found in Calumet, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

There's a whole lot more color in that bucket of sand than you think

When you think of sand, you might think of something brown, or white, if you're lucky. Maybe black if you're on a beach on Hawaii's Big Island. But the reality is sand is a melange of colors as varied as the rainbow.

There's a whole lot more color in that bucket of sand than you think
Frank Drake with his Drake Equation

Meet a renowned astronomer who is still searching for ET, 50 years later

Frank Drake developed an equation in 1961 that was designed to give us a formula to estimate the number of intelligent and communicative civilizations in the Milky Way. Now 55 years later, the equation remains popular — and Drake is still looking to prove he was correct.

Meet a renowned astronomer who is still searching for ET, 50 years later
brochure for the Biodesign Challenge

How art and design students think about the future of biotech

At the Biodesign Challenge, science was turned over to the artists, who were asked to imagine what a future biotech product might look like.

How art and design students think about the future of biotech
unripened fruits of Solanum ossicruentum

Here's one tomato you definitely don't want to eat

At first glance, this tomato doesn't look like a tomato. But peel away the spines, and you'll see something far more familiar. But you still won't want to eat it.

Here's one tomato you definitely don't want to eat
The Beyond Burger on a grill.

How scientists are creating a vegan alternative that cooks like and feels like ground beef

Veggie burgers have been around for a long time, but anyone who's cooked one knows they're not really like a hamburger. But a California company is trying to create a totally vegan burger that is much more like a burger.

How scientists are creating a vegan alternative that cooks like and feels like ground beef
Blue ghost fireflies

These ghostly blue lights aren't your imagination — they're a particular kind of firefly

In the forests of Appalachia, a particular kind of firefly lights up the night in a way and a color that will be unfamiliar to most from other parts of the world.

These ghostly blue lights aren't your imagination — they're a particular kind of firefly
A journalist shows the new Kindle Voyage during a launch event in New York September 17, 2014.

How a Kindle's e-ink system works

The screen technology used in e-readers like the Amazon Kindle was conceived by undergraduates at MIT. It's all about using positive and negative charge.

How a Kindle's e-ink system works