Tara Wu

Tara Wu

 

Tara Wu is a freelance writer based in the northeastern U.S. and a former editorial intern with Smithsonian magazine. She covers science, society, culture and their intersection.

Human tears may contain an odorless chemical substance that reduces aggression, a new study finds.

Sniffing Women's Tears May Reduce Aggression in Men, Study Finds

The findings, which may extend to all humans, suggest emotional tears might serve an evolutionary purpose

NASA engineers react to the first-ever high-definition video sent by laser from deep space, which feaures an orange tabby cat named Taters.

NASA Streams Video of a Cat Chasing a Laser From Deep Space

In a first, the agency beamed the playful clip to Earth from a distance 80 times farther than the moon

Jackdaws are social birds that mate for life and breed in colonies.

These Birds Will Switch Companions to Earn Food but Stick With Family, Study Suggests

Jackdaws, cognitively complex relatives of crows, have intricate social dynamics and mate for life

A quarry in the Cerro Blanco Forest in southern Ecuador, which is facing threats from construction and deforestation.

Humans Have Exceeded Six of the Nine Boundaries Keeping Earth Habitable

Scientists find we are “well outside the safe operating space for humanity” in a new study meant to assess the health of our planet

Lab-grown chicken produced by GOOD Meat

Lab-Grown Meat Can Be Kosher or Halal, According to Religious Authorities

The approvals bring cultivated meat one step closer to becoming a feasible alternative to traditional meat for a wider audience

A new round of Covid-19 vaccinations was recommended by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisers on Tuesday.

What to Know About the New Covid-19 Vaccines, Now Recommended by CDC Advisers

Experts say the latest boosters are effective against emerging variants including EG.5.1 and BA.2.86

A remotely operated vehicle measured environmental conditions around the octopus nest site, including temperature and oxygen levels.

Why 'Hot Springs' Draw the World's Largest Gathering of Deep-Sea Octopuses

Some 20,000 octopuses congregate near an inactive underwater volcano off California's coast, using heat from thermal springs to hatch their eggs faster

The tanks used for storing treated water at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan are almost at capacity.

Japan Begins Release of Treated Nuclear Wastewater Into the Pacific Ocean

Twelve years after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, the move is a polarizing step toward decommissioning the defunct power plant

Only about a dozen first printings of the Constitution are known to exist.

After Selling for $43 Million, Rare Copy of the Constitution Goes on Display

The new exhibition explores diverse interpretations of the document's founding values

Jim Thorpe in 1912

Jim Thorpe's 1912 Olympic Gold Medals Are Finally Reinstated

Officials removed the Native American athlete's victories from Olympic records in 1913

Stevenson holds Head of a Peasant Woman beside the X-ray of the concealed van Gogh self-portrait.

Hidden van Gogh Self-Portrait Discovered During a Routine X-Ray

The image has been obscured behind another painting for over a century

Don Henley and Glenn Frey of the Eagles performing at Madison Square Garden in 2008

Three Men Charged for Trying to Sell Stolen 'Hotel California' Notes and Lyrics

Worth over $1 million, the handwritten materials were originally stolen from the Eagles’ Don Henley in the 1970s

Experts say the cache is one of the largest and most significant of its kind ever found in Denmark.

Amateur Treasure Hunter Discovers Trove of Sixth-Century Gold Jewelry

Found in Denmark, most of the 22 objects are bracteates, or medallions inscribed with mystical symbols

Inscription mentioning renovation of the settlement's hospital

Ancient Christian Settlement in Egypt Shows Evidence of Urban Planning

Dated to the sixth century C.E., the Marea complex boasted public baths and a hospital

A vandal covered this mural of a rat sipping a cocktail in white spray paint.

Banksy Murals in England Defaced, Removed Just Days After Appearing

Vandals targeted two scenes in the street artist’s latest series. Local officials covered up two others

The 1,900-year-old segment dates to the early stages of the wall's construction.

Overlooked Section of Hadrian's Wall Discovered Beneath Busy Newcastle Street

Routine work in the English city revealed a ten-foot stretch of the barrier that once marked the Roman Empire's northwest frontier

Winslow Homer, Waiting for an Answer, 1872

Security Guards to Curate First-of-Its-Kind Exhibit at Baltimore Museum of Art

Opening in March 2022, the show will feature hidden gems inspired by personal stories

Four robots printed the steel structure in just six months.

World's First 3-D-Printed Steel Bridge Debuts in Amsterdam

The newly opened overpass measures 40 feet long and weighs 6 tons

The Forever Marilyn statue's June 20 unveiling attracted protesters who view Seward Johnson's 26-foot-tall sculpture as an outdated symbol of sexism.

Why a Newly Installed Statue of Marilyn Monroe Is So Controversial

In the era of #MeToo, some view the sculpture—now on view in California—as a symbol of sexism

Between 1957 and 1982, “Sunrise Semester” broadcasted lectures from NYU faculty to the general public.

The 1950s TV Show That Set the Stage for Today's Distance Learning

"Sunrise Semester" gave a generation of women a second chance at higher education

Page 1 of 2