Neel V. Patel

Neel is a science and tech journalist from New York City, reporting on everything from brain-eating amoebas to space lasers used to zap debris out of orbit, for places like Popular Science and WIRED. He's addicted to black coffee, old pinball machines, and terrible dive bars.

Science

How a Mars Colony Could Celebrate the Fourth of July with Fireworks

July 4th won't look the same on the red planet.

ByNeel V. Patel
Science

The Mount Mayon Volcano in the Philippines Is Ready to Erupt Any Day Now

More than 40,000 people have been evacuated from the surrounding area.

ByNeel V. Patel
Science

Why the H3N2 ‘Aussie Flu’ Strain is Such a Brutal Virus

Skeptical? Just ask the Australians. 

ByNeel V. Patel
Science

Revised Climate Change Predictions Are Slightly Less Apocalyptic

But at a minimum, things are certain to get worse.

ByNeel V. Patel
Science

Turns Out a Common Infection Might Have Killed Off the Aztecs

Scientists may have finally solved a 500-year old "whodunnit" mystery.

ByNeel V. Patel
Science

Google’s Arts and Culture App Recognizes Faces a Lot Like Humans Do

The brain and the algorithm are more similar than we think.

ByNeel V. Patel
Science

Scientists Discovered a Hot Dinosaur with "Rainbow" Feathers from China

If it works for hummingbirds, it must have worked for dinosaurs, right?

ByNeel V. Patel
Culture

Why Google Arts and Culture Face Match is the Best New App of 2018

Its impact can't be dismissed so soon.

ByNeel V. Patel
Science

California Mudslides: 7 Maps, Pictures of the Montecito Destruction

Rains after wildfires create a terrible recipe for disaster.

ByNeel V. Patel
Science

Why Sunday Was a Positive Sign for Ryan Shazier's Spinal Injury Recovery

The Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker is still recovering from a devastating spinal injury. 

ByNeel V. Patel
Science

Scientists Find Eight New Locations on Mars Where We Might Harvest Water

They could be a game-changer for deciding where to start a colony on the red planet.

ByNeel V. Patel
Science

A 7.6-Magnitude Earthquake Hit the Caribbean Sea, Raising Tsunami Alarms

What factors have to line up for an earthquake to create a tsunami? 

ByNeel V. Patel
Science

Ibuprofen Associated With Fertility Problems in Men, Study Finds

Next time you feel a headache coming on, think twice about what you're taking.

ByNeel V. Patel
Science

Scientists Develop a New Theory for How Life Began on Earth

Evolution may have taken a much more radical track than we thought.

ByNeel V. Patel
Science

Fear of Holes May Not Caused by Actual Fear, Scientists Learn

Trypophobia isn't actually a phobia.

ByNeel V. Patel
Science

The Man Who Could Make Interstellar Travel to Alpha Centauri Possible

Greg Matloff has spent most of his life trying to go interstellar, and he's closer than ever.

ByNeel V. Patel
Science

In the Future, Pop Hits Will Be Made by Machines

Taryn Southern is creating a pop music album composed entirely of A.I.-created music. 

ByNeel V. Patel
Science

‘Blue Planet’ Inspires Epic Radiohead-Hans Zimmer Collaboration

ByNeel V. Patel
Science

5 of Cassini's Most Important Achievements

ByNeel V. Patel
Science

Cassini Will Plunge Into Saturn and Die for Three Hours on Friday

ByNeel V. Patel