Latest science news, discoveries and scientific developments.
A previously unknown cat species has been identified in plain sight: at a wildlife sanctuary in Bolivia, where the small, spotted feline had been living for years.
Denny Glover was hoping for a big catch when he went fishing with buddies on the Sacramento River, but he wasn't expecting a fully grown humpback whale.
For decades, an idea has grown in paleontology that, long before scientists began digging up and reconstructing dinosaur bones, the Indigenous San and Basotho in southern Africa noticed them too, incorporating them into songs, myths and immortalizing them on cave walls. But under closer scrutiny, these claims begin to crumble.
Scientists have built a DNA-powered computer that can perform calculations using billions of molecules in a tiny drop of water. The system taps into the laws of physics to create what the scientists describe as a computing system that's more efficient than the conventional computers that are widely used today. Rather than continuously using energy to force a calculation through a series of processing steps, the DNA computer is designed so that its more "energetically favorable" state is the correct answer. In other words, the computer is built to use less energy than other biological computers, which integrate living cells with traditional hardware, would take to calculate the answer. "The c...
When you were in school, what stressed you out the most? For many students, classroom assessments—graded tests, quizzes, group work, presentations, labs and the like—would be near the top of the list.
For nearly two decades, biologist Lauren Deaner has worked with Florida scrub-jays, contributing to population recovery efforts and translocations. Now, as a doctoral researcher in UCF's integrative biology program, she is using that field experience to investigate how genetics, behavior and population dynamics influence the long-term recovery of imperiled species.
A chemical that stops drywood termites from building new exoskeletons killed about 95% of colonies in testing, offering a potentially safer alternative to traditional fumigation. Because termites eventually have no choice but to molt, the treatment turns a normal stage of their life cycle into a fatal weakness.
A massive crater on Mars’ moon Phobos may hide a dense region of compressed material that could reveal whether the moon is a captured asteroid or debris from an ancient impact on Mars. Japan’s upcoming MMX sample return mission could provide the measurements and physical evidence needed to solve the mystery.
Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses existential threats to humankind: extreme heat, never-ending drought and a plan to provide Earth with sunlight on demand.
Astronomers suspect that a never-before-seen variation of a space-time phenomenon could explain an "impossible" black hole merger that has puzzled experts for years. But if their theory is true, it creates an entirely new mystery to solve. On Nov. 23, 2023, both halves of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) — located in Washington and Louisiana — detected an unusual set of gravitational waves. These ripples in the fabric of space-time can be triggered by some of the universe's most powerful events, such as exploding stars and rapidly spinning neutron stars. But in this case, the signal, dubbed GW231123, originated from a pair of colliding black holes around 2 billi...
A deep-sea microbe uses an exceptionally heat-resistant enzyme to turn atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia at temperatures that would destroy most proteins. Its unusual structure and a newly observed reaction state may reveal an ancient, shared mechanism behind nitrogen fixation and could eventually inspire cleaner biotechnology and fertilizer production.
Scientists map the hidden protein network that helps red blood cells adapt to oxygen
A single-celled organism can shrink to one-quarter of its length in milliseconds using a remarkable calcium-powered protein “fishnet.” Scientists hope its unusual machinery could inspire artificial muscles capable of moving far faster than today’s designs.
Complex systems may work better when their parts are not perfectly alike. Northwestern physicists found that carefully balanced variation, or “disorder,” can make networks such as power grids, ecosystems, neurons, and materials more stable. Even random differences sometimes improved stability compared with completely uniform systems. The discovery could help researchers design more resilient technologies and explain why natural systems are so rarely perfectly uniform.
A study initiated by Dr. Dan Theodorescu, a physician-scientist at the University of Arizona Cancer Center, revealed that the loss of the Y chromosome in men's body tissue could pave the way for cancer to develop. According to research recently published in JCI Insights, the loss of the chromosome, which is common in men as they age, creates a preneoplastic field effect, a hidden zone of genetic vulnerability in normal tissue that provides fertile ground for cancer to develop.
Many of the moons orbiting Saturn, Uranus and Neptune likely conceal oceans of liquid water beneath miles of icy shell. Because life as we know it needs water, these buried oceans rank among the most promising places to search for life beyond Earth.
Across the country, kids are settling into new school-year routines. Parents buy backpacks, teachers arrange desks and lesson plans, and friends reconnect. But in recent years, empty chairs are becoming a more common sight—especially in classrooms where students are already facing the most adversity.
Scientists have identified the genetic cause behind the mysterious AnWj blood group antigen, solving a puzzle that began in 1972 and establishing a new blood group system called MAL. The discovery could make it much easier to find extremely rare AnWj-negative patients and donors and protect them from potentially dangerous transfusion reactions.
The human brain uses about the same amount of wattage as a lightbulb
Climate models are numerical models used to project future climate change. They simulate the climate from the present into the future by calculating changes in the atmosphere, ocean and other components of the climate system. However, simulations of the present-day climate do not perfectly reproduce observations and contain various biases. The model characteristics that cause these biases can also affect simulations of the future climate. Understanding the causes and impacts of present-day climate biases is therefore important for improving the reliability of future climate projections.