Human Elements

To understand how aliens might think, Dominic Sivitilli went to the bottom of the sea to find the closest thing: an octopus.

Dr. Bonnie Baird is a translator of sorts. But the languages she decodes aren’t any we know. Instead she works with clients who roar, squeak and chirp.

What is it like to study an animal that is almost impossible to see? Wildlife biologist Lauren Satterfield leads us on an epic adventure by car, snowmobile and on foot through deep snow to track elusive mountain lions in the wilderness.

Dr. Robin Kodner looks for the origins of life in the algae that grows high in mountain snowfields and glaciers.

Emily Levesque studies the moment of mystery when a star dies — the millisecond when its bright light explodes into a supernova or collapses into a black hole. By peeking through high-powered telescopes and analyzing reams of data, Emily can go back in time to discover what happened in the universe millions of years ago.

JK Yang sees endless possibilities in a single sheet of paper. The Aeronautics & Astronautics professor uses origami as a creative way to design foldable structures.

Ernesto Alvarado’s childhood was filled with fire. Growing up in Mexico’s Chihuahuan Desert he learned of its danger and its promise — how it could destroy, but also how it could grow the land.

Astronaut Anne McClain circles the earth 16 times a day. Aboard the only existing floating laboratory International Space Station, she has a unique perspective on Earth.

Vikram Baliga is turning everything we know about flight on its head by taking a closer look at how birds move.

Ken Wu has always been fascinated by trees. Now he’s searching for the biggest of the ancient giants to save them.