MOVING ON If traveling killer whales have a postmenopausal female in the lead, her long ecological experience may give them an edge in hunting salmon.
David Ellifrit/Center for Whale Research
FIRE BOLT Lightning that crackles through volcanic ash plumes, such as during this 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland, can kiln microscopic glass orbs, new research finds.
© WENN Ltd/Alamy
EVOLUTION’S BITE A researcher holds a 2.8-million-year-old partial jaw near where it was found in Ethiopia. The fossil’s discoverers say it represents the earliest known member of the human genus, Homo.
Kaye Reed
ON THE LOOSE Hypervelocity stars (one illustrated) travel so fast they can escape the galaxy. US 708 is the fastest known of this cohort, possibly ejected by a supernova explosion, astronomers say.
Ruth Bazinet, CfA
SQUASH THE SLOSH Just a few layers of surface bubbles can save a beverage from splashing all over the kitchen counter.
Vinicius Revecchi/Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Science News
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Light trick can retrieve missed messages
Even if photons pass you by, you can still snatch a signal from their electromagnetic wake, physicists propose.
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Hepatitis E vaccine shows strong coverage
A large trial in China indicates that a vaccine can provide 87 percent protection against the hepatitis E virus, which infects 20 million people a year.
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Dose of extra oxygen revs up cancer-fighting immune cells
Extra oxygen helps immune cells shrink tumors in cancer-ridden mice.
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Hundreds of galaxies seen in a new 3-D view of the universe
A new instrument lets astronomers measure the distances to hundreds of galaxies at once, looking back across the age of the universe.
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Tropical plant knows whose bill is in its flowers
A rainforest plant avoids inbreeding by accepting pollen only from hummingbird species that must travel to reach it.
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For athletes, antioxidant pills may not help performance
Supplements of vitamins C, E and other antioxidants may blunt the positive effects of exercise training.
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Chronic stress can wreak havoc on the body
Scientists are shedding light on all the ways that chronic stress can boost inflammation and lead to serious health problems.
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Secondhand smoke exposure in womb linked to eczema in childhood
Secondhand smoke exposure in the womb may heighten risk of eczema and other dermatitis in children, a study finds.
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Six ways to beat chronic stress
Counseling, mindfulness training and purposeful social contact may counteract the effects of chronic stress.
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Trying to get the down-low on gravity
A twist on a classic quantum mechanics experiment could lead to the discovery of elusive gravitons.
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Brain cells predict opponent’s move in game-playing monkeys
Newly discovered brain cells help monkeys predict whether a companion will cooperate.
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Planet collisions may have rearranged crowded solar systems
Solar systems discovered by Kepler with just one or two worlds may be remnants of planet families that were once far more crowded.
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Iron nanoparticles snatch uranium
With a dash of iron nanoparticles and a magnet, researchers can quickly harvest radioactive fuel.
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Coastal Los Angeles losing fog to urban sprawl
Fog in parts of Southern California has become significantly less frequent due to urban warming.