Bennett McIntosh

Risky Lending in Flood Zones

To protect against rising seas, local lenders are selling off risky mortgages.

Harvard’s VirScan exposes viral vulnerabilities

A serological test may reveal the COVID-19 virus’s weaknesses—and expose its strategic decoys.

Butterfly wing secrets revealed in infrared

A study reveals new dimensions to their function and beauty.

Ghost Stories for the Apocalypse

Ken Liu’s speculative fiction on maintaining and transcending humanity

Astronomers name interstellar “ripple” the “Radcliffe Wave”

The massive “Radcliffe Wave” traces a new map of the sky.

Butterflies Show Species Are Not Isolated

Research in butterflies reveals how genes flow among species—and lead to tangled genetic trees

Science historian Sarah Richardson profiled by Bennett McIntosh

Historian and philosopher Sarah Richardson interrogates the science of sex and gender.

There’s (Still) No Gay Gene

Genes seem to play a role in determining sexual orientation, but it’s small, uncertain, and complicated.

Isaac Kohane studies exceptional responders

Do patients who defeat cancer hold biological secrets?

Cities Too Smart for Their Own Good

Ben Green warns against simple technological solutions for complex problems.

Replacement of Iberian Men 4,000 Years Ago Raises Fresh Questions

Ancient DNA reveals Bronze Age replacement of Iberian men, raising new questions.

Improved gene editing moves ethical questions to the fore

Advances in editing DNA propel consideration of the technology’s use in humans.