Prehistoric Scotland

Although Stonehenge is more famous, numerous stone circles and other Neolithic monuments abound in the north of Scotland. Perhaps the clearest glimpse into the lives of these Neolithic stonemasons can …

Energy from the ocean

Tidal and wave energy may be the largest untapped resources of renewable energy on the planet. But will they work? There is no question that the planet’s oceans contain enormous …

A bumble bee on top of a pink flower.

A new declaration spotlights animal consciousness

A new declaration, signed by dozens of biologists, neuroscientists, and philosophers, points to a “realistic possibility” of consciousness in reptiles, amphibians, fishes, certain mollusks, crustaceans, and insects. The New York Declaration …

A partial solar eclipse, with the moon partially covering the sun.

The comfort of solar eclipses

Bus and train schedules can disappoint, but eclipses always happen right on time. They offer a glimpse into the great celestial clockwork that ticks away day by day, century by …

An artist's rendering of an exoplanet, with stars visible in the background.

The search for another Earth

Astronomers are excited about the Habitable Worlds Observatory — a new telescope that may finally reveal whether life exists on worlds beyond our solar system. The Habitable Worlds Observatory won’t …

A double-page spread from Sky & Telescope magazine, with a headline reading "A New 3D Atlas of Cosmic History"

Mapping the universe in 3D

In the February issue of Sky & Telescope, I have a feature story on DESI, an ambitious project that’s mapping the universe in three dimensions and producing our clearest picture …

Do We Have Free Will?

Robert Sapolsky has just written a book arguing that free will is an illusion. Kevin Mitchell has just written a book arguing that free will is absolutely real. In this …