An airplane saw thunderstorms create extremely high levels of chemicals called oxidants. Lightning may play an important role in clearing the air of pollutants. A storm-chasing airplane has shown that lightning can forge large amounts of oxidants. These chemicals cleanse the atmosphere by reacting with pollutants such as methane. ThoseContinue Reading

A single-celled creature known as a dinoflagellate may have one of the weirdest genomes on Earth, The Scientist reported. Life can be categorized into three major domains: Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya. The latter carry their DNA inside a nucleus, where they package the genetic material in compact structures called chromosomes.Continue Reading

These substances conduct electricity and heat, can be shaped and are often shiny. Metal (noun, “MET-al”) Metals are substances that have three major things in common. First, they can conduct electricity and heat. Metals can also be shaped. Some are hammered into flat sheets or can be pulled into wires.Continue Reading