Curious Kids^[1] is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.^[2]. What is rust? – Henry E., age 13, Boston, Massachusetts Imagine leaving your shiny metal bicycle outside in the rain. As water pools on its surfaces, oxygen from the air

The first space race was about flags and footprints. Now, decades later, landing on the Moon^[1] is old news. The new race is to build there, and doing so hinges on power.

In April 2025, China reportedly^[2] unveiled plans to build a nuclear power plant on the Moon by 2035. This plant would support its planned international lunar research...

AI seems to be well on its way to becoming pervasive. You hear rumbles of AI being used, somewhere behind the scenes, at your doctor’s office. You suspect it may have played a role in hiring decisions during your last job search. Sometimes – maybe even often – you use it yourself.

And yet, while AI now influences high-stakes...