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In a world dominated by synthetic textile dyes, natural alternatives persist.
Jacobo Isaac Ochoterena y Mendieta was a self-taught scientist who created new programs for biology education and research in 20th-century Mexico.
The climate history of tropical regions has been chronically understudied. Correcting the record will require new methods and new perspectives.
Parasites can force animals to do nefarious things by manipulating their minds—including, uncomfortably, the minds of human beings.
One of the most prolific botanists of the 20th century, Bravo-Hollis was the first woman to receive an advanced degree in biology in Mexico.
A mutable chemical and our collective choices.
An outdoor exhibition exploring the nearly 100-year-old book that influenced generations of scientists.
Japanese physicist Fusa Miyake has sparked a revolution in archaeology by studying radioactive tree rings—work that also terrifies astronomers, who fear it foretells doom for our civilization.
Funds will support new research projects, including collections archiving and a conference on the history and future of biotechnology.
A woman who drowned in Paris became one of the most famous faces in the world as the model for CPR dummies, saving millions of lives while remaining completely unknown.
How the creepy crawlies in our collections turned my “Eww” into “Wow!”
In the 1800s, mummies found their way into everything from fertilizer to food, and were especially prized as medicine. Mummy mania was a strange time.
One of Phil’s roles is to answer reference questions. Today’s subject? Himself.
Could a century-old aqueduct point the way to Los Angeles’s clean energy future?
The sold-out crowd explored the surprising history behind the school lunch with a themed food tasting, chalkboard memory wall, and curator’s talk.
How heat can make it cooler.
Optimize your Beckman Center fellowship application with this guide to the application process and selection criteria.
The failed promises of Project Plowshare.
The Japanese chemist helped isolate the hormone epinephrine and developed new methods of fermentation.
Why does Garrett Hardin’s pessimistic fable haunt our collective imagination?
Hear from three industry leaders on the latest in energy-efficient paints, aerogels, and other coatings.
Lunchtime: The History of Science on the School Food Tray opens September 27.
Psychology professor David Rosenhan made waves with his “On Being Sane in Insane Places” study, but decades later its legitimacy was questioned.
Why oral history is critical for the history of science and engineering.
50 years after the Asilomar Conference on Recombinant DNA, experts gathered at the 2025 Cain Conference to reflect on the last half century of biotechnology and matters arising in the field today.
The weight-loss drug has become well known, but many others have come before, often with horrific results.
A chemistry curriculum with bonds beyond the molecule.
In this episode, Distillations spotlights a significant factor impacting our environment and the world’s ecology: roads.
The first antipsychotic was discovered through a series of mistakes, starting with—of all things—a breakthrough dye.
For centuries people have been fascinated by the potential healing powers of color, but is there any truth to it?