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 Psyche Mission Images Mars’ Huygens Crater
Description Captured by the multispectral imager instrument on NASA’s Psyche mission, this is an enhanced-color view of the large double-ring crater Huygens (upper right; about 290 miles, or 470 kilometers, in diameter) and the surrounding heavily cratered southern highlands near 15 degrees south latitude. The various colors in this dramatic scene are likely due to
- NASA’s Psyche Mission Spies Mars’ Wind-Blown Craters During Close Approach
Description This view of the Martian surface, captured by NASA’s Psyche spacecraft on May 15, 2026, shows streaks that have formed due to wind blowing over impact craters in the Syrtis Major region. The image scale is nearly 1,200 feet (360 meters) per pixel. The wind streaks extend to about 30 miles (50 kilometers) long,
- Why the IPCC Seems Poised to Eliminate Its Most Extreme Emissions Scenario
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations body whose mission is to “provide governments at all levels with scientific information that they can use to develop climate policies” will likely update the emissions and land use scenarios used in the models it considers in its bellwether assessment reports.
- A New Approach Can Better Predict Debris Flow Hazards Years After Fires
USGS hazard maps don’t always reflect real landslide risk in the years after wildfires. Fine-tuning assessments of vegetation recovery could help.
- 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/>
- Selective divergence between Grokipedia and Wikipedia articles
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 20, May 2026. <br/>The launch of Grokipedia, an AI-generated encyclopedia developed by xAI, was presented as a response to perceived ideological and structural biases in Wikipedia, with the goal of producing more “truthful” entries using the Grok large language model. …
- Could this synthetic egg bring back extinct birds? Researchers urge caution
Nature, Published online: 19 May 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01535-3Colossal Biosciences says its artificial egg has de-extinction and conservation potential.
- Teams of AI agents boost speed of research
Nature, Published online: 19 May 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01596-4Systems can generate hypotheses, interpret data and suggest ways to develop medicines.