A Ghost Town’s Second Life as a Climate Refuge for Rodents
Why are ground squirrels thriving in the former gold mining town of Bodie, California?
How Gallium Nitride Could Help Power the World
One engineer's effort to cut electrical waste at the wall.
California Farms Get Testy Over Water Quality
Update: California Central Coast row-crop farmers are now required to test their private wells for nitrate, a widespread groundwater contaminant linked to over-fertilization.
Urban Renewal’s Record Shows It Wasn’t All Bad
Large-scale federal investment in American cities between 1950 and 1974 had some lasting benefits in economic growth, researchers say, despite the bad rap it currently has.
No Debate: Kids Can Learn By Arguing
Columbia professor Deanna Kuhn says teachers should foster some debate to help kids learn the lost skill of thinking critically.
How Foreclosures Feasted on Some Cities, Not Others
A look at foreclosures in two Southern California cities shows why some fared better than others in the housing crisis.
Why Mexican Immigrants Can’t Get Ahead
The real wages of Mexicans in the U.S. have declined since 1970, and Princeton sociologists say a “perfect storm” of anti-immigrant laws is to blame.
The iPod Touch as a Crop Saver
New Gene-Z device identifies diseases in plants, water, and food within 30 minutes, researchers say.
The Science Behind TGIF
Economist John F. Helliwell has data that backs up why Americans are significantly happier on weekends and public holidays than during the workweek.
Poor Neighborhoods Mean Fewer High School Grads
Growing up in poor neighborhoods significantly reduces the chances that a child will graduate from high school, sociologists say. Black children fare worst of all.