Articles by

Nora Bradford

The International Space Station lacks microbial diversity. Is it too clean?

With air filters and weekly wipe-downs and vacuuming, NASA goes to great lengths to keep the International...

A squid-inspired medical device could reduce the need for needles

If you’re one of the many adults who hate needles, you may be in luck. Scientists have...

Your brain can perceive subtle odor changes in a single sniff

Human sniffs last between one and three seconds. During that time, chemicals enter the nose and...

These windpipe cells trigger coughs to keep water out of the lungs

Have you ever taken a gulp of water that goes down the wrong way? Or felt...

Human brains found at archaeological sites are surprisingly well-preserved

Early in her research, forensic anthropologist Alexandra Morton-Hayward came across a paper describing a 2,500-year-old brain preserved...

This Is What Your Brain Does When You’re Not Doing Anything

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine.Whenever you’re actively performing a task—say, lifting weights...