This crossword puzzle is an homage to the International Year of the Periodic Table, promulgated by UNESCO to commemorate the 150th anniversary of that vital tool, used by scientists at all stages of their education and careers. The puzzle’s constructor is also the author of “Marie Curie and the Science of Radioactivity,” a web exhibit honoring the scientist’s life, work, and legacy. Hosted by the American Institute of Physics (publisher of Physics Today), the exhibit explains, among other things, Curie’s particular interest in the elements with atomic numbers 84 and 88. (Thumbnail image: Detail from a mural on the façade of the Faculty of Chemistry, University of Murcia, Spain. Credit: University of Murcia.)
The finding that the Saturnian moon may host layers of icy slush instead of a global ocean could change how planetary scientists think about other icy moons as well.
Modeling the shapes of tree branches, neurons, and blood vessels is a thorny problem, but researchers have just discovered that much of the math has already been done.
January 29, 2026 12:52 PM
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