Stories by Knowable Magazine

A bioluminescent petunia led me to a world of radiant mushrooms, 19th-century experiments and a modern rivalry between scientists in Russia and the Americas

The possibility of liquid water beneath the surface of Saturn’s moon Mimas may offer clues to how such seas form, and another spot to search for life

How falling cats, slithering snakes, burrowing prairie dogs and more exploit the laws of physics

By performing tricks for birds, monkeys and other creatures, researchers hope to learn how they perceive and think about their world

Although studies are still mixed and products are often inconsistent, many scientists have hope that cannabidiol can help furry patients with arthritis, allergies and anxiety

Long confined to regions with volcanic activity, geothermal promises to become a much more versatile energy source thanks to new technologies

Experience may matter more than innate ability when it comes to a sense of direction

A marine scientist discusses the problem of plastic pollution and her hopes for an international treaty to tackle it

Ailments of the mouth can put the body at risk for a slew of other ills. Some practitioners think dentistry should no longer be siloed

"Assisted migration" could help sustain productive forests in the face of warming habitats

Linguists and archaeologists have argued for decades about where and when the first Indo-European languages were spoken and what kind of lives those first speakers led

From meditation to smiling, researchers take a second look at studies claiming to reveal what makes us happy

“The anus was a prerequisite for intelligence” said one biologist

Transparent wood material is being exploited for smartphone screens, insulated windows, and more

Untangling the genetics that underlie facial features

DNA sequencing, GPS tracking and tailored diets are slowly restoring New Zealand's endangered kākāpō

Traits in psychopaths may be present to some extent in all of us. New research is reframing this often maligned set of attributes and finding some positive twists

Earth-based analogs are opening new frontiers in studies of the superdense interiors of neutron stars

The COVID pandemic put mRNA technology, long in development, to the test. Here’s a look at how it might fight cancer and when it might reach patients

The way we see and describe hues varies widely for many reasons: from our individual eye structure, to how our brain processes images, to what language we speak, or even if we live near a body of water

Flexible organic circuits that mimic biological neurons could increase processing speed and might someday hook right into your head

Were mitochondria a driving evolutionary force or just a late addition?

New technology is enabling neuroscientists to make increasingly detailed wiring diagrams that could yield new insights into brain function

Evolution in cities illuminates long-standing scientific questions and climate change futures