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 Welcomes 16th Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson
Matt Anderson was sworn in Thursday as NASA’s 16th deputy administrator by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. The oath was taken during a ceremony held at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington. As NASA deputy administrator, Anderson will help lead the agency’s efforts to execute the President’s national space policy, strengthen America’s leadership in space,
- NASA Highlights 2025 International Space Station Science Results
To dive deeper into the International Space Station research achievements from the past year, browse the 2025 Annual Highlights of Results, which NASA released in May 2026. In 2025, researchers using the orbital laboratory conducted more than 750 investigations that advanced understanding of life in space, drove innovations to benefit people on Earth, and supported
- Recycled Rocks Reveal Subduction Zone Dynamics Off Baja California
High-pressure rocks on Cedros Island were exhumed, eroded, and redeposited into the subduction trench multiple times, reshaping interpretations of ancient plate boundary processes.
- What Winds Whip Up Otherworldly Waves?
New research goes back to the basics to explain how atmospheric conditions affect the creation of wind-driven waves on other worlds.
- Did this scientist go too far trying to save Ecuador’s wildlife?
Alejandro Arteaga’s efforts to identify and protect tropical reptiles and amphibians have entangled him in controversy
- A powerhouse species in peril | Science
Kelp forests capture carbon, clean oceans, protect coastlines, and more—and they need our help
- In This Issue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 20, May 2026. <br/>
- Multiscale fatigue crack initiation in hierarchical additively manufactured alloys
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 20, May 2026. <br/>SignificanceA majority of mechanical failures are caused by fatigue, where damage progressively accumulates during cyclic loading. Hierarchical microstructures enabled by additive manufacturing offer a promising route to fatigue-resistant alloys. However, …
- Should I get a dog? What to know about pet ownership as a scientist
Nature, Published online: 21 May 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-00198-4Animal companions can be a lot of work, and are difficult to fit into a busy professional’s life, but they can also enhance well-being.
- Ebola outbreak spirals out of control: how might it have started?
Nature, Published online: 21 May 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01645-yPublic-health researcher James Baguma has studied the interactions between bats, which can carry the virus, and people in the region near the latest epidemic.