homehome Home chatchat Notifications


Our brains fire up their 'prediction engine' when faced with uncertainty -- at least with music

They just hate not knowing what’s coming.

This is how tardigrades walk -- and it's cooler than you think

They walk a bit like insects... but why do they even walk at all?

A teacher took her mask off to read something out loud. Half of her class got COVID-19

A reminder that we still have a long way to come to be rid of this pandemic

Greenland expedition discovers world's northernmost island by accident

It's formed by soil and rock left behind by glaciers.

The James Webb telescope is now ready to be shipped

It's one of the most exciting projects in modern science -- and it's ready to hit the stage.

Dangerous Hurricane Ida strikes Louisiana on Katrina anniversary

Climate change is increasing the chance of dangerous hurricanes.

We need a simpler way to talk about climate change

There's too much jargon and people are getting confused.

Natural immunity from COVID infection is stronger than vaccine immunity, massive study in Israel finds

This shouldn't be taken as a licence to get infected on purpose.

Fossil Friday: ancient roots show how trees came to be

“So many dramatic changes occurred at that time as a result of those original forests that basically, the world has never been the same since,” scientists said.

Fukushima's radioactive wastewater to be dumped into the ocean through a tunnel

Construction of the tunnel will start next year, after feasibility studies are carried out.

Those suffering from migraines could be at lesser risk for diabetes

Peptides causing migraines also affect insulin production, according to a new study.

Astronomers discover 'Hycean' planets that may support life

Although they're much larger and hotter than Earth, these Hycean worlds may have oceans that could host microbial life.

LED street lights may be decimating insect populations

This could have a cascading effect on other wildlife that depend on insects for food.

Batman cloak-like chainmail switches from flexible to tough on command

When jammed, the chainmail particles stiffen into a fabric that can support a load 50 times its weight.

What's the evolutionary explanation for homosexuality? Ironically, genes that help people make more babies may be involved

The same gene variants that may give people a reproductive edge with the opposite sex are associated with same-sex behavior.

What makes ants remarkable diggers? It's all about physics, study finds

When they are together, they work like a single unit, protecting their colony

Police-seized fossils in Brazil belong to exceptionally preserved flying reptile

The large head-crested pterosaur employed a terrestrial foraging style, similar to today's peacocks.

Barnacle-inspired glue can seal wounds in seconds, save lives

It can adhere to surfaces even when they are covered with blood, which makes it a game changer

The first climate change famine is here: Madagascar is desperate

Hunger is driving people to eat raw cactus, wild leaves and locusts.

China's ethnic cleansing could prevent 4.5 million Uyghur births by 2040. Researchers say this is genocide

Evidence so far points to actions of genocide against Uyghur people in Xinjiang by Chinese authorities, according to a new study.

Top economists in no rush to offer cash incentives for vaccination

Money is probably not the way to get people vaccinated.

Astronomers discover the fastest orbiting asteroid

The asteroid 2021 PH27 is the closest asteroid to the Sun with a surface temperature hot enough to melt lead and completes an orbit in just 113 days.

Purple bacteria turn sewage into hydrogen fuel

Purple is the new black.

Green areas, especially woodlands, are key for children's development

Cities have many upsides -- but some are nature’s alone.

Rattlesnakes modulate their tail wagging to make you think they're closer than they are

Actually, I'm not mad at all. Thank you, snakebros.

Physicists make 2-D supersolid that flows without friction, a world first

It's like an ice cube flowing on water without friction.

Ancient turtle embryo preserved inside thick, tough egg

Turtle eggs are usually small and fragile -- but this one was big and tough.

Highly venomous sea snakes may be attacking scuba divers as a mating behavior

Olive sea snakes may charge at human divers because they mistake them for rival males or potential mates.

Social isolation can lead to overeating and under-sleeping -- if you're a fruit fly

But we may be very similar to the flies in this regard.

Russian space junk knocks out Chinese satellite

The Russians apparently have been unintentionally playing the galactic version of bumper cars. It has been reported that the Chinese satellite Yunhai 1-02 broke apart into several pieces in March after it whacked into space junk from part of a Russian Zenit-2 rocket. Harvard astronomer Jonathan McDowell spotted the wreckage recently in a data log […]

"Hobbit" creature shows life evolved quickly after dinosaur extinction

Tolkien would be proud.

COVID vaccines saved at least 140,000 lives as of early May

The vast majority of current COVID hospitalizations and deaths are among unvaccinated people.

Leaky pipes in Baltimore are funneling a lot of pharmaceuticals into local waterways

The paper illustrates how outsized an effect old or damaged infrastructure can have on our environment.

Archaeologists find best-preserved human remains in Pompeii

The remains of the former slave turned high-ranking priest are so well preserved they retained white hair and even a piece of an ear.

Temperature extremes on both ends impair bees' flight, raising new concerns about climate change

At higher temperatures, bees simply can't fly.

Aspirin could become a potential treatment against breast cancer

The cheap and iconic drug could improve chemotherapy in patients with triple-negative breast cancer.

Physics sheds light on the 20-second handwashing rule. Here's why it's so effective

A fluid dynamics model explains what happens to potentially harmful particles during handwashing.

Russia says US astronaut intentionally damaged the ISS to come home early-- the US is having none of it

Grab the space popcorn, 'cause the soap opera has just started.

Submersible robots help us better understand ocean health and carbon flows

Good bots.

Potential new treatment for drug-resistant depression identified in mice -- blocking histamines in the brain

This is the same molecule involved in allergies, but anti-allergy drugs don’t cut it.

Our cities are making mammals bigger

City-dwelling mammals have grown both larger and heavier than their rural counterparts over the last 80 years. According to researchers, this is mainly due to the readily available large quantities of food available and lack of predators in sprawling urban environments. City mammals are fatter These findings were surprising. Theoretically, climate is a very important […]

With Delta surging, it's time to talk about upgrading masks

Cloth masks just don't cut it anymore.

Scientists calculate Pi down to 62.8 trillion digits, set new record

That's a bit overkill.

We just lived through the Earth's hottest month on record

... the hottest month so far!

Just 5% of the world's power plants produce 73% of the global electricity emissions

These hyper-pollutors are truly atrocious.

Falcons use 'natural makeup' to improve their hunting success

The species' dark 'eyeliner' acts as a sun shield to improve the birds' hunting ability, a new study suggests.

3D-printed components are now in use at US nuclear plant

The technology is no longer just for gifts and gadgets -- it's reliable enough to be used for nuclear energy.

Feisty bees make more potent venom, which makes for better medicine

Temperature and geographical location of the hive also have an effect.

A year and a half in the pandemic, where do we stand on COVID-19 treatments?

Vaccines are the way out of the pandemic. But having access to effective treatments can also save many lives.

Blue hydrogen is worse for climate than fossil fuels, study finds

It’s usually touted as a clean energy source, but that may not be the case

1 93 94 95 96 97 406