History

A gigantic space rock that slammed into Earth more than three billion years ago grievously wounded the biosphere—and then helped it heal

Computer chess champ; dental chloroform killer

Scientists reveal the identity of a cannibalized captain from the doomed Northwest Passage expedition of 1845 to 1848

Best baseball batting order; mummies demystified

The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, owes his superstar success to self-satisfied competitors who blew obvious opportunities

The world’s first commercial space walk, performed by billionaire Jared Isaacman and SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis, tested new technology and was practically flawless

Starting in the 1920s female writers pioneered the field of science writing for the mass market, making it their mission to help ordinary people understand everything from astronomy to venereal disease

U.S. Senators and Representatives whose family had a history of enslaving others have greater present-day wealth

Mysterious Mercury; spiders predict the weather

A mountaintop burial site offers a glimpse into Inka life—but raises ethical questions about unearthing ancient human remains.

A play celebrates the agreement that opened nations worldwide to accepting the science of climate change

Archaeoastronomers piece together how people understood the heavens thousands of years ago.