Petroglyphs are carved in a material called rock varnish, the origins of which have been debated for years. Now, scientists argue it’s the result of bacteria and an adaptation that protects them from the desert sun’s harsh rays.

The Horizon Prizes celebrate the most exciting, contemporary chemical science at the cutting edge of research and innovation.

Edward Hohenstein, Emma McBride and Caterina Vernieri study what happens to molecules hit by light, recreate extreme states of matter like those inside stars and planets, and search for new physics phenomena at the most fundamental level.

Known as “pair-density waves,” it may be key to understanding how superconductivity can exist at relatively high temperatures.