PICTURE PERFECT Impact craters puncture northern volcanic plains on Mercury in this image from the MESSENGER spacecraft. Colors are enhanced to show differences in the composition of the rocks.
NASA, JHUAPL, Carnegie Institution of Washington
Science News
News in Brief
When measuring lead in water, check the temperature
Lead contamination in drinking water can be much higher during summer than winter, new research suggests.
News
Long-running lunar mission reveals moon’s surprises
Seven years into its mission, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is still going strong and finding surprises on the moon.
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News
Communicating covertly goes quantum
Researchers are working to make quantum messages that are undetectable.
Feature
Lasers unveil secrets and mysteries of Angkor Wat
The world’s largest temple, Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, was revealed by laser and radar studies to be part of a sprawling medieval metropolis.
News in Brief
U.S. oil and gas boom behind rising ethane levels
Oil and gas operations on North Dakota’s Bakken shale are largely to blame for a recent rise in global emissions of the greenhouse gas ethane, researchers conclude.
Feature
Gun research faces roadblocks and a dearth of data
Gun violence research is stifled by funding shortfalls and limitations on data access.
News
Some Crohn’s genes make cells deaf to messages from good gut bacteria
Genes linked to Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory bowel disease, might make people’s immune cells miss out on helpful messages sent by friendly gut bacteria.
Science Visualized
Here’s what a leaf looks like during a fatal attack of bubbles
Office equipment beats synchrotrons in showing how drought lets air bubbles kill the water-carrier network of veins in plant leaves.
News
Asian primates hit hard by ancient climate change
Chinese fossils suggest primates diverged in Asia and Africa around 34 million years ago.
Exhibit
High-fashion goes high-tech in ‘#techstyle’
‘#techstyle,’ an exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, considers how technological innovations such as 3-D printing are influencing fashion.
News
A breakdown product, not ketamine, may ease depression
Ketamine’s breakdown product, not the drug itself, eases depression, a mouse study suggests.
The Science Life
Studying cheese reveals how microbes interact
Microbiologist Rachel Dutton uses cheese rinds to study how microbes form communities.
Introducing
New species of hairy weevil named after Chewbacca
A new weevil species,Trigonopterus chewbacca, joins the ranks of insects with a Star Wars moniker.
News
Rainwater can help trigger earthquakes
Rainwater plays a major role in the triggering of earthquakes along New Zealand’s Alpine Fault.
News
Nearby exoplanet trio new target in search for life
Three nearby exoplanets might be good spots to go looking for signs of alien life.
News
Risky skull surgery done for ritual reasons 6,000 years ago
Some ancient skull surgeries hinged on ritual, not on medical treatment.
News
Theorists perplexed by hints of unexpected new particle
Hints of a potential new particle at the LHC have scientists excited, and theoretical physicists are beginning to converge on explanations.
News in Brief
Peacocks twerk to shake their tail feathers
Researchers reveal the biomechanics of the peacock mating dance.