February 2021

Volcanoes: Terror From Below

By Brian Rohrig

Volcanoes are a spectacular and terrifying example of nature’s might. But what we know about them can help us predict their eruptions—and save lives.

Teacher's Guide

* Article in Spanish Translation

Is Cold Brew Really Different From Iced Coffee?

By Wynne Parry

With all the coffee options available, and more and more teens drinking the caffeinated beverage to help them perk up, we delve into what makes cold brew coffee different from its iced counterpart.

Teacher's Guide

Coffee GC-MS Puzzle

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How Safe are Hair Dyes?

By Melody M. Bomgardner

Changing hair color has become a popular way for people to express themselves. Research, however, suggests that doing it too often is sometimes related to health problems down the line.

Teacher's Guide

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To Mars and Back Again

By Max G. Levy

Sending astronauts to Mars has long felt like an outlandish dream—in part because we didn’t know how they would get back home. A new experiment on the Red Planet could change that.  

Teacher's Guide

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Open for Discussion: Deciding What's Right

By Michael Tinnesand

Science isn't just about clear-cut facts and figiures. Someimes, it calls for deciding right and wrong.

Chemist by Training, Explorer by Heart

By Max G. Levy

After graduating from the University of Puerto Rico, Yajaira Sierra-Sastree started on a path to connect her studies with the real world in as many new ways as possible. She has used her degree to teach high school chemistry; earn a PhD making nanomaterials for space experiments; help create new types of textiles and batteries; spend months living in a Mars simulation; and oversee the research projects that keep printed money secure.