Military

The United States Navy is the largest navy in the world. Learn how the Navy is structured, what ships it uses, what life is like in the Navy and how it has evolved over the years.

By Ed Grabianowski

The National Guard serves many purposes and does many jobs for the United States. But how does it differ from the U.S. Army? And what can the president authorize the Guard to do?

By Ed Grabianowski & Patrick J. Kiger

Unique among the U.S. armed forces, the Coast Guard is perpetually on active duty, entrusted with lots of responsibilities, including saving lives at sea and enforcing maritime laws.

By Ed Grabianowski & Francisco Guzman

Body armor is about to undergo the biggest change in centuries -- new liquid formations are making Kevlar much lighter and more flexible to wear. Find out about this new technique for making body armor more wearable.

By Tracy V. Wilson

The Kim Jong Un regime continues to demonstrate its desire to threaten the U.S. and its allies with nuclear-armed ICBMs. But can any of these missiles actually reach the U.S. mainland?

By Julia Layton & Sarah Gleim

In the first reports released since North Korea announced its underground nuclear test on Monday, officials are saying they have found no evidence of a nuclear signature in the air above the blast site.

By Julia Layton

In 2007, Attorney General nominee Michael Mukasey came under fire for refusing to classify water boarding as torture. What does water boarding entail? Does it work?

By Julia Layton

Sure, llamas are our friends. But little did we know that these fuzzy, camel-like creatures might save us all should the End come in the form of a biological attack.

By Julia Layton

In what may prove to be the first nuclear explosion since 1998, North Korea claims it has conducted an underground test of a nuclear weapon.

By Julia Layton

The Vietnam War occurred decades ago, but one of its legacies lingers on in Vietnamese soil and the U.S. court system. How did this defoliant do so much damage?

By Jacob Silverman

When he needs a new state-of-the-art trick up his sleeve, James Bond asks Q. Who do U.S. soldiers go to for cutting-edge equipment?

By Jonathan Strickland

Have you always thought of yourself as more of a Jean-Pierre than a Jon? Good news, you can still be that guy, provided you're willing to fight for France for five years.

By William Harris

Fanciful ideas of underwater submersibles fascinated engineers centuries before the nuclear submarine ever took shape. How did the nuclear submarine evolve? And what, exactly, makes it nuclear?

By Tom Scheve

Once you pass through this school's gates, you leave your civilian clothes and ordinary life behind and join the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. It's a far cry from the adventures of a typical, clueless college freshman. So what's knob life like?

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

You may have thought militaries stopped using napalm after the Vietnam War thanks to the United Nations, but this incendiary weapon lives on in modern warfare. Has it also been used in Iraq?

By Jacob Silverman

These 10 technologies changed war and the course of history as we know it. Some of these battlefield innovations, like adding grooves to gun barrels, are surprisingly simple. So what else made our list?

By Susan L. Nasr

President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization in Russia during an address to the nation. What does that mean for citizens there and in Ukraine?

By Sarah Gleim

Students at the actual TOPGUN school aren't as cocky as the characters in the movies, but the fictional version gets a lot of other things right.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Ukraine is seeking foreign volunteers to join the fight against the Russians. But unless you've got military experience and elite skills, you probably should stay home.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Israel's Iron Dome defense system is capable of intercepting - and destroying - thousands of incoming rockets targeting civilian areas. Here's how the sophisticated system works.

By John Donovan

You probably have no idea what explosives smell like. But dogs can be trained to detect that distinctive smell, even if it's just wafting through the air.

By Susan L. Nasr

Winning wars sometimes requires innovative new tools, so it seems possible that new technologies are developed in the heat of battle. But is all technology born from conflict?

By Jonathan Strickland

Back in 1983 when the Cold War was in full swing, the U.S. was looking for an effective new tactic to deter a nuclear strike. The "Star Wars" missile defensive initiative, however, wasn't it. Why not?

By Jonathan Atteberry

In 1961, the Soviet Union detonated the Tsar Bomba, still the biggest, most powerful nuclear bomb ever built. One of the cameramen who recorded the event said it sounded "as if the Earth has been killed."

By Patrick J. Kiger

Members of the U.S. armed forces and their loyal dogs have always had a special relationship - so special that the canine usually outranks its handler. What's behind this military tradition?

By Nathan Chandler