Stories by Allison Parshall

For the first time, scientists observed matter’s free fall into a black hole’s “plunging region”

Evidence shows microplastics can end up in many different organs and may harm reproductive health

Across the globe, singing traditions are vast and varied. Their commonalities may help explain how music evolved

New research into weed reveals how a lemon-scented terpene can ease anxiety without reducing the high.

Writers, artists, photographers and researchers share the stories behind the stories

Lobbyists’ and politicians’ campaigns against lab-grown meat appeal to emotion, not logic and reason

Gas stoves spew nitrogen dioxide at levels that frequently exceed those that are deemed safe by health organizations

The molecule that gives cannabis its citrusy smell can make THC less anxiety-inducing

New research shows that looking at memorable images can warp our perception of time

Artificial DNA sorts images like a neural network does

Writers, artists, photographers and researchers share the stories behind the stories

Rat remains from shipwrecks and dig sites show how two rodent species duked it out in eastern North America

Machine-learning algorithms allow composers to create all-new instruments.

Writers, artists, photographers and researchers share the stories behind the stories

This warm, fuzzy color can be found all over the natural world, from land to sea to space

Bacteria choose to swarm based on what happened to their great-grandparents

New research on asexuality shows why it’s so important for doctors and therapists to distinguish between episodes of low libido and a consistent lack of sexual attraction

In 2013 a new user named Cleo took an online math forum by storm with unproved answers. Today she’s an urban legend. But who was she? A 2023 editor's pick. 

A striking purple species is one piece of the fungal kingdom’s uncharted diversity

Hotspots beneath cities deform the ground, causing important infrastructure to crack under stress

Unlikely pollinators in Brazil, climate-resilient coffee in Uganda, credible cryptozoology down under, and more in this month’s Quick Hits

A surprisingly simple answer to a mathematical puzzle intrigues the math world

In 2013 a new user named Cleo took an online math forum by storm with unproved answers. Today she’s an urban legend. But who was she?

Here’s how the winners of NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge are making food out of thin air