Every successful scientist seems to have a “once in a blue moon” discovery during his or her lifework: an accident or epiphany that unexpectedly leads to a serendipitous breakthrough. Geneticist …

The prestigious biennial Kavli Prizes recognize scientists for major advances in three research areas: astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience—the big, the small and the complex. The 2014 winners, sharing a $1 million award in each field, will be announced live via satellite from the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters in Oslo.

“Move fast and break things,” went the Silicon Valley rallying cry, and for a long time, we cheered along. Big Tech, in its infancy, spouted noble goals of bringing us …

Black holes may hold the key to understanding the most fundamental truths of the universe, but how do you see something that’s, well, black? Astronomers think they have the answer. …

We once shared the planet with Neanderthals and other human species. Some of our relatives may have had tools, language and culture. Why did we thrive while they perished?

Watching ants and playing with robots is biologist Simon Garnier’s Cool Job as he studies how people and animals swarm in large groups. Garnier discovers these animals work together to …