Why Ice Floats on Water, Explained
Most solids sink in their own liquid, but ice floats. Here is how the way water molecules lock together makes ice lighter than water.
Mara Voss
Science Editor
Mara Voss
Mara has spent twelve years translating research into plain English for newsrooms and science museums. She is obsessed with getting the details right and reads the original paper before she writes a word. Her rule: if she can't explain it simply, she doesn't understand it yet.
Articles
8 articles by Mara
Mara Voss
How CRISPR Edits Genes, Explained
CRISPR lets scientists cut and rewrite DNA with precision. Here is how this molecular tool finds the right spot and makes a change.
Mara Voss
What Is a Black Hole, Explained
A black hole is a place where gravity is so strong that light cannot escape. Here is how they form and what the event horizon really means.
Mara Voss
What Causes Ocean Tides, Explained
The Moon tugs on the sea, and the ocean rises and falls twice a day. Here is how gravity from the Moon and Sun drives the tides.
Mara Voss
What Causes the Seasons, Explained
It is not distance from the Sun. Here is how Earth's tilt changes the angle of sunlight and gives us summer, winter, and everything between.
Mara Voss
How mRNA Vaccines Work, Explained Simply
mRNA vaccines deliver instructions, not a virus. Here is how a tiny genetic message gets your own cells to build a protective rehearsal.
Mara Voss
How Vaccines Train Your Immune System
A vaccine teaches your body to recognize a threat before it strikes. Here is how this safe rehearsal builds lasting protection.
Mara Voss
Why the Sky Is Blue, and Sunsets Are Red
Sunlight is white, yet the sky looks blue. Here is how air scatters light to paint the daytime sky and the evening horizon.
Mara Voss