
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 to Cover Progress 96 Spacecraft Launch, Docking
NASA will provide live coverage of the launch and docking of a Roscosmos cargo spacecraft carrying about three tons of food, fuel, and supplies for the crew aboard the International Space Station. The unpiloted Progress 96 resupply spacecraft is scheduled to launch at 12:15 p.m. EDT (9:15 p.m. Baikonur time), Wednesday, Sept. 9, on a
- Curiosity Blog, Sols 4988-4994: More New Tricks for an Old Dog
Written by Michelle Minitti, MAHLI Deputy Principal Investigator Earth planning date: Friday, Aug. 21, 2026 After Curiosity’s 14 years on the surface, Mars continues to surprise. Both of our workspaces this week contained features unlike quite anything we have seen in the past — broad, shallow pits (like the one in the image above) dotted
- EPA Moves to Redefine “Discharge of a Pollutant”
The EPA is proposing a change to the definition of “discharge of a pollutant” that would exempt moving boats and ships from pollution regulations.
- Why Did the Grand Canyon Flood?
Last weekend, flash flooding in the Grand Canyon killed two, left one missing, and forced dozens to evacuate. On Monday, the National Park Service shared that approximately 40% of the Transcanyon Waterline—the national park’s only water pipeline—had been damaged or destroyed.
- In This Issue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 35, September 2026. <br/>
- Neural network–augmented Pfaffian wave-functions for scalable simulations of interacting fermions
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 35, September 2026. <br/>SignificanceUnderstanding how electrons interact in two-dimensional materials is essential for explaining phenomena like high-temperature superconductivity, but existing numerical methods are often limited by systematic biases. Neural quantum states offer …
- Body parts used for ancient Egyptian artworks traced to surprising source
Nature, Published online: 04 September 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02739-3Coffin decorations and wall paintings were made with tissue from a broad range of organisms.
- Buried underpants and a new definition of kissing win 2026 Ig Nobel prizes
Nature, Published online: 03 September 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02650-xThe awards highlight weird, funny and improbable research that also makes you think.