Imagining…
Where Science Meets Creative Writing
Find a story within the topics above
How can we look at fossils and understand what creatures roamed the Earth millions of years ago?
How can we predict the behavior of materials deep within planetary interiors?
How can we reverse humanity’s impact on the global climate?
How can we predict habitats for life on other planets?
Doing impactful, innovative research requires training our brain to imagine the elusive unknown, even when bounded by scientific evidence. Now, more than ever in the history of human civilization, there is a pressing need to exercise our imagination muscles. Writing scientific fiction while accounting for the real science is a powerful way to do just that—to learn what is possible, what is probable, how we can change the future, and what our responsibility is to the future generation of our species.
Most Recent Stories
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Progress Without Morals
A scientist is trying to harness microbial properties to develop a fantastic tool. He believes he can; but should he?
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For Today’s Inspiration
- NASA’s ESCAPADE Snaps Family Portrait of Earth, Moon
On July 3, one of NASA’s two Mars-destined ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) spacecraft captured photos of Earth and the Moon in visible and thermal infrared light. At the time, the spacecraft was 363,250 miles (584,600 kilometers) from Earth and 115,600 miles (186,100 kilometers) from the Moon, making the Moon appear relatively
- New Crew Members Welcomed to International Space Station
From left, Expedition 74 flight engineers Anna Kikina and Pyotr Dubrov of Roscosmos, and Anil Menon of NASA pose for a July 18, 2026, photo while holding a cake celebrating their recent arrival aboard the International Space Station. The trio arrived at the space station on July 14, 2026, after launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
- Io’s Hidden Heat Revealed for the First Time
Data from the Juno spacecraft also suggest that Jupiter’s moon has a relatively smooth, low-density surface.
- One Billion Years Ago, Northern Minnesota Nearly Split Apart. Now, Two Companies Want to Mine the Aftermath.
A continental rift created valuable mineral deposits beneath a remote wilderness beloved by recreationists.
- In This Issue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. <br/>
- Relative Thom conjectures, symplectic and beyond
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. <br/>SignificanceIn the mid 20th century, mathematicians discovered that 4-dimensional spaces, called 4-manifolds, display subtleties not present in other dimensions. Embedded surfaces are key to our understanding, especially those with additional geometric …
- Bizarre CRISPR enzyme kills cancer cells by shredding their DNA
Nature, Published online: 24 July 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02268-zEarly tests suggest the protein can be aimed at targets with tumour-causing mutations.
- Briefing Chat: Baby T. rex were killers from birth, suggest new fossils
Nature, Published online: 24 July 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02338-2Nature staff discuss the young but deadly dinosaur kings, the prowess of ancient Egyptian princesses, and how London is becoming the world’s AI safety capital.