Science News
Major earthquake strikes Panama—damage and injuries are expected
The quake was a strike-slip event, and strong aftershocks could follow
Science News
Latest science news, discoveries and scientific developments.
Science News
Aspens 'remember' past drought in their leaves, 3-year experiment finds
Drought is written into trees, appearing as narrow bands in their annual growth rings. But aspen may go farther, creating "functional memories" of previous dry years reflected in the chemistry of their leaves, according to new research by University of Utah biologists.
Science News
NASA advances LISA mission contributions with new test telescope
NASA has taken the next step in the process of developing a new all-glass telescope for the LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) mission, a space observatory designed to detect ripples in space-time called gravitational waves.
Science News
Plant-bacteria partnership reveals how roots access iron locked in soil
A new study led by Paul Schulze-Lefert from the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne, in collaboration with Ricardo F.H. Giehl at the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research in Gatersleben, revealed how Arabidopsis plants adapt their chemical communication with the bacterial root microbiota to maximize the acquisition of bio-unavailable iron from acidic or calcareous soils. The study is now published in Cell.
Science News
How Hurricane Isaias got so dangerously strong so fast
The Category 3 storm intensified overnight—and is headed toward the U.S. Gulf Coast. Here’s what to know
Science News
Adjustable nanosensors turn water pressure into fluorescent signals, with stiffness shaping sensitivity
A novel nanovesicle-based platform developed at Institute of Science Tokyo can measure hydrostatic pressure by converting pressure-induced molecular changes into fluorescence signals.
Science News
Climate change drives new species combinations, prompting calls to rethink conservation goals
The fact that ecosystems change is nothing new. What is new, however, is the speed and scale at which new species communities are emerging as a result of climate change. Processes that once unfolded over centuries or even millennia are now being observed within just a few decades.
Science News
Polar oceans store carbon—but policy is not yet ready to count it
Polar oceans may play an important role in storing carbon and supporting biodiversity, but current science and policy frameworks are not yet ready to fully recognize their potential.
Science News
Fluorescent imaging tracks metabolism of cells in real time
Cornell researchers have designed a new, faster form of two-photon fluorescence imaging for observing cell metabolism in real time, a method that could enable quicker screening of new therapeutic treatments. The findings were published Sept. 4 in Science Advances. The co-lead authors are former postdoctoral researcher Lu Ling, Ph.D. '20, and doctoral student Jack Crowley, M.S. '22.
Science News
'October is the ideal time to get vaccinated': Flu season is kicking off early, experts say
Flu season is off to an early start in some parts of the U.S., data shows. In a typical year, U.S. flu activity starts building in late fall — typically in October or November — and peaks between December and February. This year, flu activity is currently low but rising nationwide: During the week ending Sept. 26, 3.4% of respiratory samples tested by clinical labs were positive for flu, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data. That's about seven times the rate that was seen at the same point last year. About 0.5% of samples tested positive during the week ending Sept. 27, 2025."This particular year, it appears to be starting early — like right now," Dr. William Sc...
Science News
Cyberbullying rarely occurs in isolation—it functions as an extension of school violence, say researchers
A new study of 4,200 adolescents revealed that cyberbullying rarely occurs in isolation; it almost always functions as an extension of physical and verbal aggression already present in the school environment. The study, conducted at the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp) in Brazil, mapped students' involvement in bullying and found that the lines between victims and perpetrators often blur in a cycle of violence spanning both the physical and digital worlds.
Science News
What a swordfish washing up on British Columbia's coast says about our changing oceans
Filmmaker and outdoorsperson Quinn Barabash recently made headlines when he found a swordfish carcass nearly two meters (6.6 feet) long on the remote shores of Haida Gwaii in northern British Columbia.
Science News
Nightjar wings reveal a trade-off between hunting slowly and traveling far
The European nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus) is a nocturnal migratory bird that travels between Europe and southern Africa each year. However, its wings are not only used for long-distance journeys. When hunting insects, the nightjar must be able to slow down, turn sharply and fly at low speeds. Researchers at Lund University have now shown how this trade-off is reflected in the bird's flight mechanics. The study is published in the journal PLOS Biology.
Science News
Genetic analysis reveals that some specialty coffee seeds do not match their commercial identity
Genetic analysis revealed that several seeds from a batch sold as Sidra were not, in fact, Sidra; their genetic profile was closer to that of Batian, a Kenyan variety.
Science News
Scientists discover 5 hidden brain patterns behind depression
Depression may not be one biological condition, but several distinct patterns of brain activity hiding under the same diagnosis. Researchers studying 263 people with depression identified five brain profiles, each showing different patterns of communication between brain regions and associations with symptoms such as anxiety, trauma, and substance abuse.
Science News
Q&A: How does AI affect our engagement at work?
AI is being integrated into our work at a growing rate. Andreas Bergqvist, a Ph.D. student at the Department of Information Technology, has teamed up with colleagues to investigate how AI, automation and robotization affect work engagement.
Science News
Discovery marks the first detection of variable water clouds outside of the solar system
A Jupiter-sized world just 7.5 light-years away is cloudy, chemically complex and, it turns out, more like home than anyone expected. Using the James Webb Space Telescope, Brittany Miles, assistant astronomer at the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory, led a team that spent 11 hours staring at WISE 0855, the coldest known brown dwarf, collecting a spectrum of its light every 15 minutes.
Science News
'Mix-and-match' material's properties can be tuned by changing its metallic 'recipe'
Scientists have created a new family of materials whose behavior can be tuned by changing their metallic "recipe"—opening new possibilities for uses including gas storage and sensing.
Science News
Are analytics making pro sports less fun? Fans and analysts remain divided
Today, the discussions of sports analytics in the 2011 movie "Moneyball" often seem quaint. The idea of a team using data to find players who may be more valuable than meets the eye (and less expensive) no longer surprises anyone.
Science News
Scientists create a lightsaber-like laser antenna that transmits radio waves
Scientists have demonstrated a remarkable new antenna that resembles a lightsaber, using a laser to create a tunable beam of plasma capable of transmitting radio waves. The technology could revolutionize wireless communications by allowing antennas to change their size and direction on demand, with promising applications in satellites, radar, and space exploration.