Portal:Science

Science portal

Science is a systematic discipline that builds and organises knowledge in the form of testable hypotheses and predictions about the universe. Modern science is typically divided into two – or three – major branches: the natural sciences, which study the physical world, and the social sciences, which study individuals and societies. While referred to as the formal sciences, the study of logic, mathematics, and theoretical computer science are typically regarded as separate because they rely on deductive reasoning instead of the scientific method as their main methodology. Meanwhile, applied sciences are disciplines that use scientific knowledge for practical purposes, such as engineering and medicine. (Full article...)

Featured article -

Featured articles are displayed here, which represent some of the best content on English Wikipedia.

Image 1

The rainbow pitta (Pitta iris) is a small passerine bird in the pitta family, Pittidae, endemic to northern Australia, most closely related to the superb pitta of Manus Island. It has a velvet black head with chestnut stripes above the eyes, olive green upper parts, black underparts, a bright red belly and an olive green tail. An Australian endemic, it lives in the monsoon forests and in some drier eucalypt forests. (Full article...)
Image 2
,
Neptune is the eighth and farthest known planet orbiting the Sun. It is the fourth-largest planet in the Solar System by diameter, the third-most-massive planet, and the densest giant planet. It is 17 times the mass of Earth. Compared to Uranus, its neighbouring ice giant, Neptune is slightly smaller, but more massive and denser. Being composed primarily of gases and liquids, it has no well-defined solid surface. Neptune orbits the Sun once every 164.8 years at an orbital distance of 30.1 astronomical units (4.5 billion kilometres; 2.8 billion miles). It is named after the Roman god of the sea and has the astronomical symbol (Full article...)
Image 3

Clockwise from top left: Linckia laevigata, Echinaster serpentarius, Protoreaster nodosus, and Hymnaster pellucidus. Not to scale.

Starfish or sea stars are a class of marine invertebrates generally shaped like a star polygon. (In common usage, these names are also often applied to ophiuroids, which are correctly referred to as brittle stars or basket stars.) Starfish are also known as asteroids because they form the taxonomic class Asteroidea (/ˌæstəˈrɔɪdiə/). About 1,900 species of starfish live on the seabed, and are found in all the world's oceans, from warm, tropical zones to frigid, polar regions. They can occur from the intertidal zone down to abyssal depths, at 6,000 m (20,000 ft) below the surface. (Full article...)
Image 4

Comet Hale–Bopp, shortly after passing perihelion on April 4, 1997

Comet Hale–Bopp (formally designated C/1995 O1) is a long-period comet that was one of the most widely observed of the 20th century and one of the brightest seen for many decades. (Full article...)
Image 5

Female near Kaktovik, Barter Island, Alaska, United States

The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a large bear native to the Arctic and nearby areas. It is closely related to the brown bear, and the two species can interbreed. The polar bear is the largest extant species of bear and land carnivore by body mass, with adult males weighing 300–800 kg (660–1,760 lb). The species is sexually dimorphic, as adult females are much smaller. The polar bear is white- or yellowish-furred with black skin and a thick layer of fat. It is more slender than the brown bear, with a narrower skull, longer neck and lower shoulder hump. Its teeth are sharper and more adapted to cutting meat. The paws are large and allow the bear to walk on ice and paddle in the water. (Full article...)
Image 6

Adult in the Dominican Republic

The golden swallow (Tachycineta euchrysea) is a swallow endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola (split between the Dominican Republic and Haiti) and was once native to Jamaica, but is now extirpated there. It is restricted to isolated montane forests that primarily consist of the Hispaniolan pine (Pinus occidentalis). This species is considered to be a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The exact cause of its extirpation from Jamaica is unknown, but likely factors include predation by introduced mammals and habitat loss, although the habitat loss theory is not supported by much evidence. The last sighting of the nominate subspecies was in Hardwar Gap (located on the boundary between Saint Andrew and Portland parishes), with three birds being seen on 8 June 1989. (Full article...)
Image 7

Reconstructed skeleton in Japan

Deinocheirus (/ˌdaɪnoʊˈkaɪrəs/ DY-no-KY-rəs) is a genus of large ornithomimosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous around 70 million years ago. In 1965, a pair of large arms, shoulder girdles, and a few other bones of a new dinosaur were first discovered in the Nemegt Formation of Mongolia. In 1970, this specimen became the holotype of the only species within the genus, Deinocheirus mirificus; the genus name is Greek for "horrible hand". No further remains were discovered for almost fifty years, and its nature remained a mystery. Two more complete specimens were described in 2014, which shed light on many aspects of the animal. Parts of these new specimens had been looted from Mongolia some years before, but were repatriated in 2014. (Full article...)
Image 8

Mount Sylvania in Portland, Oregon, one of the major volcanoes in the field

The Boring Lava Field (also known as the Boring Volcanic Field) is a Plio-Pleistocene volcanic field of cinder cones, small shield volcanoes, and lava flows in the northern Willamette Valley of the U.S. state of Oregon and adjacent southwest Washington. The volcanic field is named for the town of Boring, Oregon, located 12 miles (20 km) southeast of downtown Portland and on the edge of the densest cluster of volcanic vents. The zone became volcanically active about 2.7 million years ago, with long periods of eruptive activity interspersed with quiescence. Its last eruptions took place about 57,000 years ago at the Beacon Rock cinder cone volcano. The individual volcanic vents of the field are considered extinct, but the field itself is not. (Full article...)
Image 9

Resolution Guyot (formerly known as Huevo) is a guyot (tablemount) in the underwater Mid-Pacific Mountains in the Pacific Ocean. It is a circular flat mountain, rising 500 metres (1,600 ft) above the seafloor to a depth of about 1,320 metres (4,330 ft), with a 35-kilometre-wide (22-mile) summit platform. The Mid-Pacific Mountains lie west of Hawaii and northeast of the Marshall Islands, but at the time of its formation, the guyot was located in the Southern Hemisphere. (Full article...)
Image 10

Killdeer in breeding plumage.

The killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) is a large plover found in the Americas. Its shrill, two-syllable call is often heard, sounding like "kill deer". It was described and given its current scientific name in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae. Three subspecies are described. Its upperparts are mostly brown with rufous fringes, the head has patches of white and black, and two black bands cross the breast. The belly and the rest of the breast are white. The nominate (or originally described) subspecies breeds from southeastern Alaska and southern Canada to Mexico. It is seen year-round in the southern half of its breeding range; the subspecies C. v. ternominatus is resident in the West Indies, and C. v. peruvianus inhabits Peru and surrounding South American countries throughout the year. North American breeders winter from their resident range south to Central America, the West Indies, and the northernmost portions of South America. (Full article...)
Image 11

Halley's Comet on 8 March 1986

Halley's Comet is the only known short-period comet that is consistently visible to the naked eye from Earth, appearing every 72–80 years, though with the majority of recorded apparitions (25 of 30) occurring after 75–77 years. It last appeared in the inner parts of the Solar System in 1986 and will next appear in mid-2061. Officially designated 1P/Halley, it is also commonly called Comet Halley, or sometimes simply Halley. (Full article...)
Image 12

The bog turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) is a critically endangered species of semiaquatic turtle in the family Emydidae. The species is endemic to the eastern United States. It was first scientifically described in 1801 after an 18th-century survey of Pennsylvania. The smallest North American turtle, its carapace measures about 10 centimeters (4 in) long when fully grown. Although the bog turtle is similar in appearance to the painted or spotted turtles, its closest relative is actually the somewhat larger wood turtle. The bog turtle can be found from Vermont in the north, south to Georgia, and west to Pennsylvania. Diurnal and secretive, it spends most of its time buried in mud and – during the winter months – in hibernation. The bog turtle is omnivorous, feeding mainly on small invertebrates. The bog turtle is the state reptile of New Jersey. (Full article...)
Image 13

The white-eyed river martin (Pseudochelidon sirintarae) is a passerine bird, one of only two members of the river martin subfamily of the swallows. Since it has significant differences from its closest relative, the African river martin, it is sometimes placed in its own genus, Eurochelidon. First found in 1968, it is known only from a single wintering site in Thailand, and may be extinct, since it has not been seen since 1980 despite targeted surveys in Thailand and neighbouring Cambodia. It may possibly still breed in China or Southeast Asia, but a Chinese painting initially thought to depict this species was later reassessed as showing pratincoles. (Full article...)
Image 14

Gropecunt Lane (/ˈɡroʊpkʌnt/) was a street name found in English towns and cities during the Middle Ages, believed to be a reference to the prostitution centred on those areas; it was normal practice for a medieval street name to reflect the street's function or the economic activity taking place within it. Gropecunt, the earliest known use of which is in about 1230, appears to have been derived as a compound of the words grope and cunt. Streets with that name were often in the busiest parts of medieval towns and cities, and at least one appears to have been an important thoroughfare. (Full article...)
Image 15
Bone Sharps, Cowboys, and Thunder Lizards: A Tale of Edward Drinker Cope, Othniel Charles Marsh, and the Gilded Age of Paleontology is a 2005 graphic novel written by Jim Ottaviani and illustrated by the company Big Time Attic. The book tells a fictionalized account of the Bone Wars, a period of intense excavation, speculation, and rivalry in the late 19th century that led to a greater understanding of dinosaurs and other prehistoric life. Bone Sharps follows the two scientists Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Marsh as they engage in an intense competition for prestige and discoveries in the western United States. Along the way, the scientists interact with historical figures of the Gilded Age, including P. T. Barnum and Ulysses S. Grant. (Full article...)

Featured pictures

Featured pictures about Science.

Image 1Archaeological excavation at Atapuerca Mountains, by Mario modesto (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 2Oblique shock, by NASA/United States Air Force (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 3Wind wave, by Alvesgaspar (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 4Plasma globe, by Colin (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 5Warming stripes, by Ed Hawkins (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 6Ice core, by the Greenland Ice Sheet Project (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 7Activation energy, by Debivort (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 8Rusty chain, by WikipedianMarlith (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 9Projectile motion of a bouncing ball at Inelastic collision, by MichaelMaggs (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 10Animation of a water drop, by Chris 73 and Gmaxwell (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 11Drop impact on a liquid surface, by José Manuel Suárez (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 12Australian Synchrotron, by John O'Neill (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 13Archaeologists prospecting Santa Ana Cave at Excavation (archaeology), by Mario modesto (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 14Kármán vortex street, by Cesareo de La Rosa Siqueira (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 15NASA study on wingtip vortices at Wake turbulence, by Langley Research Center (edited by Fir0002) (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 16Holdridge life zones, by Peter Halasz (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 17Light dispersion, by LucasVB (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 18Translational motion at Thermodynamic temperature, by Greg L (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 19Hypervelocity impact demonstration, by NASA (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 20Parallax, by Mila Zinkova (edited by Richard Bartz) (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 21Dichroic prism, by XRay (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 22Total internal reflection, by Jean-Marc Kuffer (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 23Fast breeder reactor, by Graevemoore (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 24Section of the Large Hadron Collider, by Maximilien Brice (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 25Nobel Prize in Physics diploma, by Sofia Gisberg (restored by Jebulon) (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 26Mechanical advantage device, by Prolineserver (edited by Tomia, Ss181292 and Atropos235) (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 27Vibrating glass beam at Euler–Bernoulli beam theory, by Ben pcc (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 28Simulation of liquids with different viscosities, by Synapticrelay (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 29Global oceanic and terrestrial photoautotroph abundance at Primary production, by SeaWiFS Project (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 30Diet Coke and Mentos eruption, by Mikemurphy (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 31Thermite reaction, by Nikthestunned (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 32Peruvian Andes at United States Exploring Expedition, by Alfred Thomas Agate (edited by Durova) (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 33Lorentz transformation of world line, by Cyp (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 34Toroid magnets of the ATLAS detector, by Maximilien Brice, CERN (edited by Bammesk) (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 35Refraction in raindrops, by Mila Zinkova (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 36Color cathodoluminescence of a diamond, by Pavel.Somov (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)
Image 37Operation Tumbler-Snapper, by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (from Wikipedia:Featured pictures/Sciences/Others)

Vital articles

Vital articles to understand Science.

A chemical element is a chemical substance whose atoms all have the same number of protons. The number of protons is called the atomic number of that element. For example, oxygen has an atomic number of 8: each oxygen atom has 8 protons in its nucleus. Atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei, known as isotopes of the element. Two or more atoms can combine to form molecules. Some elements form molecules of atoms of said element only: e.g. atoms of hydrogen (H) form diatomic molecules (H₂). Chemical compounds are substances made of atoms of different elements; they can have molecular or non-molecular structure. Mixtures are materials containing different chemical substances; that means (in case of molecular substances) that they contain different types of molecules. Atoms of one element can be transformed into atoms of a different element in nuclear reactions, which change an atom's atomic number. (Full article...)

Other vital articles
Astronomy Universe Biology Ecology Evolution Life Chemistry Climate Geology Medicine Physics Atom Energy Time Social sciences Communication Language Writing Culture Economics Agriculture Business Psychology Society Education

Did you know...

Did you know it about Science?

... that Mary Robertson was the first woman to receive a Doctor of Science degree in medicine from the University of Cape Town?
... that the Alexander McQueen collection Neptune drew negative reviews comparing the clothing to 1980s science fiction, Xena, and Wonder Woman?
... that the science-fiction video game The Anacrusis is named after a musical term?
... that a screen based on the circuitry of a rat brain is displayed on the façade of the Jerusalem-based Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences?
... that the documentary film I Am Human has been the conversation starter for neuroscience panel discussions at universities such as Harvard?
... that Flyover, a 2023 science fiction novel by an American author, portraying a dystopian future where part of the US becomes a theocracy, was published in French but not in English?

Get involved

For editor resources and to collaborate with other editors on improving Wikipedia's Science-related articles, visit WikiProject Science.

Wikiproject Science

Topics list

Target articles

Guidelines

Templates

Members

Contribute to one or more of the Science WikiProjects (main WikiProject here)
Contribute to one or more of the Science Collaborations:
- Natural sciences and technology: Cetaceans • Chemistry • Dentistry • Dinosaurs • History of science • Medicine • Science
- Social sciences: Geography (Africa, Australia, Canada, India, Indonesia, New Zealand, USA, Vancouver)

Supply photographs and images for articles listed in Category:Wikipedia requested photographs of science

Improve one of the many Science-related stub articles listed at Category:Science stubs.

Answer requests for comments

Integrate relatively new scientific knowledge and findings (major studies reported on by RS) into relevant articles
- You can also go through this list of items that were nearly/not included in the last Year in science article to find studies to integrate elsewhere (many of these contain notable info, you can filter them by field and many rows have a likely relevant article already wikilinked in the last column)
- Complete requests of other editors on the talk pages of science-related articles (examples)
Expand 2025 in science and/or other articles for science-related topics of the year (in the box on the right)
- Create new articles for items of this article, mostly articles relating to new scientific fields/topics/findings (the page does not use redlinks anymore but you will quickly identify possible new articles when reading it; here you can find a version with over 60 redlinked examples)
- Some of the lists' items have not yet been integrated into their wikilinked articles; if you add a study there it should also be relevant to at least one other article
- Maybe this could be done as part of an organized effort
Find studies published under a compatible open license (like CC BY 4.0) and upload the studies' images with descriptions from the study and add these images to articles if they are relevant and useful there
- When a study with a useful image is published under an incompatible or unclear license (or the image is published not in a study but elsewhere), you could contact its authors (Twitter/Mail) and ask them to give you the permission to upload them under CC BY 4.0 (or whether they could upload the image/s under a compatible license)
- You can also think about whether images would be useful as you read a science-related article and then search for such images:
  - if they already exist add them (if already on WMCommons) or upload them (if the license is ok) or ask their authors for permissions
  - if they don't, you could create (or request) them

Science News

Further information: 2025 in science

23 June 2025 – Middle Eastern crisis: A United Nations fact-finding mission reports that Israeli strikes on Iran’s state broadcasting agency and killing of Iranian nuclear scientists were likely in violation of international humanitarian law. (Al Jazeera)
13 June 2025 – Middle Eastern crisis: Israel also launches targeted assassination strikes against senior Iranian government officials, Iranian military leadership and senior nuclear scientists. (Reuters)

Related portals

Categories -

Select [►] to view subcategories.

Science

Branches of science

Scientific disciplines

Scientists

Science in society

Science and technology

Quotations from science

Scientific terminology

Works about science

Science-related lists

Science books

Scientific buildings

Scientific classification

Scientific comparisons

Scientific exploration

Fringe science

History of science

Scientific instruments

Metascience

Scientific method

Natural history

Science occupations

Open science

Scientific organizations

People in science

Scientific phenomena

Science pioneers

Scientific problems

Scientific speculation

Time in science

Women and science

Images by scientific discipline

Science stubs

Wikipedia categories named after science projects

Discover Wikipedia using portals