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For all the damage they cause, viruses also help push evolution

Viruses are a seemingly inherent part of mammalian evolution, two studies suggest.

Young Americans are drinking less, but they're using weed and prescription drugs more than ever before

So far, however, this shift is less damaging overall than the alcohol abuse of old, according to the authors.

COVID death toll underestimated: Nearly 75,000 more Americans died in spring and summer because of the pandemic

These excess deaths have been indirectly attributed to COVID-19 due to the pandemic's disruptions.

Lockdown reduced noise exposure across the US

Daily average sound levels dropped about three decibels in March and April.

Scientists around the world call on governments to protect cetaceans or risk seeing them go extinct

Countries need to take urgent action to protect species from human activities

Iceland’s most active volcano may soon erupt, throwing air travel into turmoil -- again

An eruption could also cause heavy local flooding, as the volcano is buried in ice.

COVID-19 pandemic caused $16 trillion in damage -- the greatest threat to the economy since the Great Depression

That's nearly 90% of the US gross domestic product.

Tiny 200-million-year-old teeth show the first mammals were actually more like reptiles

Although they had fur and whiskers, the earliest mammals had long lifespans like reptiles.

Death By Spaghettification! Astronomers Spot a Star Being Consumed by a Black Hole

This could solve the mystery of tidal disruption events or ‘spaghettification.’

Can popular proverbs teach us anything about climate change perception?

A trio of researchers in Spain looked at a how weather-related proverbs related to climate change.

AI style guide that flags politically incorrect language and tone snatches $5M funding

It's like Grammarly...but for editors!

Getting a tattoo without the needle? Scientists got you covered

Painless tattoos? Yes please!

Science and art join hands to transition the world toward a sustainable future

A new report outlines the foundation for how science and art should work together to solve the world's most problematic issues.

Researchers map the anatomy of the 'mysteriously-shaped' beetle

In the end, it didn’t live up to the name!

The mental health of PhD students is at stake: scientific journals should take the blame

My survey identifies the pressure to publish in high impact journals as the main reason for the mental health crisis in academia, and condemns Nature for diverting the truth to defend its own interests at the expense of public science.

The 2020 Nobel Peace Prize goes to the United Nations for its efforts in feeding the world's hungry

A cause worthy of our praises -- and Prizes.

Countries are failing to protect nature in their COVID-19 recovery plans

There are concrete things governments can do to protect biodiversity while we recover from the pandemic.

Nobel-winning women hope to inspire new generation of scientists

The dearth of female Nobel laureates is even worse than the one generally present in science.

The beautiful Nature Journal of illustrator Jo Brown

The beauty of nature is often hiding in plain sight. Even our backyards hold countless treasures, waiting to be discovered.

Ants quickly adapt to danger, build sand structures to access food and avoid drowning

Intelligence and resilience can be found all across the natural world.

Dry cat- and dog-food production uses an area twice the size of the UK

That's a surprising amount.

SARS-CoV-2 can survive 9 hours on the human skin, compared to 2 hours for the influenza virus

Seriously, just wash your hands. Often.

Facebook is becoming a hotbed for climate denial disinformation

Better look closely if you see a strange ad on Facebook

Mole genome reveals why females have both ovaries and testicles

An in-between sex can exist in nature, and moles are a prime example.

Rare and elusive semi-aquatic mice discovered in Africa

'I thought it to be the most beautiful mouse I had ever seen,' said one of the researchers.

EU moves to cut carbon emissions 60% by 2030 after vote in Parliament

It will now have to be approved by the Council of Ministers.

Why are young Australians canceling their health insurance in the midst of a pandemic?

Young people are actually getting priced out of private healthcare covers.

In an ongoing, burning climate crisis, Exxon Mobil plans surge in emissions, leaked documents show

Exxon Mobil planned to increase its annual carbon-dioxide emissions by as much as the output of the entire nation of Greece,

NASA tests its new spacesuits underwater, finds them "acceptable"

They pooled a lot of expertise into making these suits.

Food production threatens the Paris Climate Agreement

Emissions of nitrous oxide are on the rise, and farming is behind it.

Scientist accidentally invents a rechargeable battery that could virtually last forever

Could this be an everlasting battery?

Hydroxychloroquine advocates are angry Trump didn't take it for himself

No matter how you look at it, the whole affair is very sus.

Climate warming is changing the US planting zones

Iconic plants may disappear from their traditional zones as climate change pushes them northwards.

Within a couple of days, President Trump has posts removed from both Facebook and Twitter

For different reasons, the two social media giants have taken punitive action against the US President.

Humans may transmit COVID-19 virus to wildlife

The possibility of this happening is higher than with other viruses.

Electromagnetic fields could be used to manage, maybe even treat, type 2 diabetes

Hopefully the findings translate to humans as well.

Up to 14 million tons of microplastics believed to be on the seafloor

We urgently need to cut down on the use of plastics -- for the ocean.

Having friends who are friends with each other is the way to go, according to new research

We tend to perceive close-knit groups as more supportive than large but less dense social circles.

Last month was the hottest September ever recorded

Climate change is kicking in across the globe, as evidenced by the spree of record-breaking temperatures.

Nobel Physics laureate pays tribute to snubbed Hawking

Stephen Hawking enriched our understanding of the universe decades ago, but he never got a Nobel.

CRISPR researchers awarded Nobel Prize for chemistry

Chemistry kind of gave its Nobel Prize to biology this year.

UK fails to report on positive COVID-19 cases due to glitch

The UK government seems to be struggling with tech.

A tale of two cesspits: 14th century latrines are revealing the medieval European lifestyle

It was the best of poop, it was the worst of poop.

Human ancestors used fire to make stone tools 300,000 years ago

Heating the stone tools improved blade production, a technique that wasn't seen again for thousands of years.

Black hole researchers honored with Nobel Prize for Physics

It's celebration time in the world of physics -- and astrophysics takes the laurels again.

India creates cheap and quick test for COVID-19

It has already been authorized for commercial use and could be a game changer.

Researchers found intact, 2,000-year-old brain cells turned to glass after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius

They call it a "perfect", "totally unprecedented" specimen.

Mobile apps grab our attention, but not in the way you probably think

Bright colors don't affect how people look at apps.

This year's ozone hole was "quite large", says monitoring body

Just goes to show that our work here isn't done yet.

People who are more authentic on social media have high levels of well-being

Keeping your social media profile closer to home improves your emotional health.