Static electricity is all around us. Who among us has not experienced a painful zap when touching a doorknob after crossing a carpeted room? And what child has not experienced the thrill, or mortification, of looking like a porcupine after having their head rubbed with a balloon?

Given its ubiquity, you would think that we know all there is to know about static electricity, especially since it can be a hazard for tasks as varied as assembling circuit boards, refueling airplanes or keeping the wheels on a Mars rover turning. But what actually causes electric charge to leap from one object to another remains elusive. Centuries of efforts by scientists have failed to solve its mysteries — but researchers are not admitting defeat.

In June, Science News’ senior physics writer Emily Conover ventured to a meeting of the Electrostatics Society of America, a hotbed of physicists, chemists and engineers who are fascinated by the complexities of triboelectricity. From Conover’s reporting, I learned what makes it so hard to identify the workings of static electricity: the vast number of factors that can affect it. This growing realization also makes earlier research look less than reliable. Her reporting reveals the challenges and researchers’ dogged efforts to surmount them.  

For decades, Science News has invested in sending our staff writers to scientific conferences. Being there makes it possible for them to learn about early-stage research and potentially major advances that haven’t gone public, and to make connections with scientists that will pay off for years to come.  

In this issue, we also explore efforts to understand a common yet elusive virus. Almost all people are infected with the Epstein-Barr virus. While many go through life unaffected, the virus can cause serious illnesses, including mononucleosis, certain cancers and multiple sclerosis. Researchers are developing vaccines that could prevent people from contracting the virus in the first place — or stop it from reactivating in people already infected. But taming MS, one of the more debilitating outcomes of infection, remains a challenge. Freelance journalist Michael Marshall reports on new research that reveals just how wily the virus is at evading the human immune system — revelations that could someday help us live with this unwelcome guest while also avoiding its worst behavior.