All Stories
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GeneticsOrigin of Tibetans’ high-altitude adaptations found
Mixing genes of two ancestral populations gave modern Tibetans their ability to withstand high altitude.
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Health & MedicineDoes breast milk come in pink and blue?
A new analysis of cows shows that mamas make more milk for daughters. Other studies have hinted that human moms produce different milk for sons than for daughters, so perhaps lactating women also boost production for daughters.
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ChemistrySwapping electrolytes could prevent big battery fires
Researchers now say they have designed a nonflammable lithium ion battery that is as effective as what is already in use.
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AstronomyOldest star provides hints about first supernovas
The chemical composition of star SMSS J031300.362670839.3 and four others suggests that the explosions of the early universe weren't big enough to seed galaxies with iron.
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Health & MedicineBad kitty: Cat bites can cause nasty infections
Three in 10 patients seeking treatment for hand bites were hospitalized, study finds.
By Nathan Seppa -
AnimalsEmbryos in eggs move to get comfy
Even before hatching, Chinese alligators, snapping turtles and some relatives can shift toward favorable temperatures.
By Susan Milius -
Planetary ScienceMoon like blue cheese?
The lunar surface turns out to have more grit than scientists thought.
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ClimateBiggest climate warmers
The United States, China, Russia, Brazil, India, Germany and the United Kingdom are responsible for more than 60 percent of the 0.74 degree Celsius rise in global average temperature observed from 1906 to 2005.
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ClimateStrong winds may have waylaid global warming
Gusts over the Pacific Ocean may have stashed heat underwater since 2001.
By Beth Mole -
Science & SocietyNaturalists at Sea
For centuries after Columbus, the flora and fauna of the New World remained a mystery to Europeans. But in the 1600s and 1700s, explorers began to visit and describe what were then considered remote corners of the Earth.
By Nathan Seppa -
ClimateWeather patterns over Southern Hemisphere have a regular pulse
Variations in energy and rainfall over the Southern Hemisphere follow a pattern that repeats every 20 to 30 days.
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NeuroscienceCataloging the connections
Though a complete map of the brain’s connections is many years away, the mathematical theory of networks can help fill in some of the blank spots.