Max G. Levy
Contributor
Max G. Levy is freelance science journalist based in Los Angeles, California writing about tiny neurons, vast cosmos, and all the science in between. He received a PhD in Chemical & Biological Engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Why Some Animals Can Tell More From Less
Researchers find that densely packed neurons play an outsize role in quantitative skill—calling into question old assumptions about evolution.
Could Being Cold Actually Be Good for You?
Researchers are exploring the health benefits of literally chilling out.
Surprise! The Pandemic Has Made People More Science Literate
Despite rampant misinformation, Covid-19 has pushed science into the zeitgeist, as people have absorbed new words and how scientific discovery actually works.
An AI Finds Superbug-Killing Potential in Human Proteins
A team scoured the human proteome for antimicrobial molecules and found thousands, plus a surprise about how animals evolved to fight infections.
Researchers Want to Restore ‘Good Noise’ in Older Brains
Aging people lose variation in brain oxygen levels—a sign of declining cognitive flexibility. A new drug study probes whether that loss can be reversed.
Neal Stephenson on Building and Fixing Worlds
The science fiction author spoke with WIRED senior correspondent Adam Rogers about climate change and big solutions.
Timnit Gebru Says Artificial Intelligence Needs to Slow Down
The AI researcher, who left Google last year, says the incentives around AI research are all wrong.
Climate-Driven Extinction Made Mammals' Teeth Less Weird
Fossils show how species diversity—and dental diversity—suddenly collapsed 30 million years ago, suggesting a link between climate, diet, and survival.
This Protein Predicts a Brain’s Future After Traumatic Injury
A blood test of “NfL” proteins answers questions about damage severity that doctors—and families—desperately need.
The Lost Tale of an 18th-Century Tsunami, as Told by Trees
Local evidence of the cataclysm has literally washed away over the years. But Oregon’s Douglas firs may have recorded clues deep in their tree rings.
Dolphins Eavesdrop on Each Other to Avoid Awkward Run-Ins
The new finding underscores the complexity of marine mammals’ social life and cognition. It may also help save the snoopy cetaceans.
You’re Not Alone: Monkeys Choke Under Pressure Too
Now you can blame the primate brain. And neuroscientists are eager for a deeper look.
This Barnacle-Inspired Glue Seals Bleeding Organs in Seconds
The paste sticks onto wet tissue firmly by repelling blood. Surgeons hope it can save time—and lives.
The Squishy, Far-Out New Experiments Headed to the ISS
Muscle cells, 3D-printed lunar regolith, and le Blob will soon orbit 250 miles above Earth.
What Rat Empathy May Reveal About Human Compassion
Rats may feel concern when cage mates are trapped. But, like people, they don’t always care enough to help.
This Device Could Tune Your Heart—Then Dissolve Away
The latest in “electronic medicine” offers an alternative to temporary pacemakers and could help reduce tissue scarring.
The Experimental African Houses That Outsmart Malaria
A field test of custom-designed homes proves that when carbon dioxide can flow out, mosquitoes stay out too.
The Race to Put Silk in Nearly Everything
The fiber has been considered a “miracle material” for anything from body parts to food. Has the revolution finally arrived?
The Coelacanth May Live for a Century. That’s Not Great News
Scale markings reveal that this weird fish's lifespan is double what scientists first estimated. That also means they’re closer to extinction than we thought.
Watch Drones Fly Through a Fake Forest Without Crashing
Each copter doesn’t just track where the others are. It constantly predicts where they’ll go.