All Stories

Genetics

Year in Review: Caffeine triggers cloning advance

To successfully clone human cells, eggs must be dunked in the stimulant.

Animals

African frog conceals itself with chemicals

Two small peptides keep the West African savanna frog from being stung by ants.

Humans

Year in Review: Language learning starts before birth

Babies seem familiar with vowels and words heard while in the womb.

Environment

Stillbirth rates tied to lead in drinking water

Fetal death rates rose in Washington, D.C., in parallel with two recent spikes in drinking water’s lead levels.

Science & Society

Year in Review: High court rules against gene patents

The justices’ decision opens the way for choices in DNA testing.

Health & Medicine

Year in Review: Sleep clears the cluttered brain

Some forms of brain washing are good, like the thorough hosing the brain gets during sleep.

Life

Year in Review: A double dose of virus scares

Outbreaks of two deadly viruses captured the world’s attention in 2013, but neither turned into the global pandemic expected to strike one of these years.

Plants

Lone survivor of ancient flowers is gluttonous gene consumer

The rare Amborella shrub has engulfed whole genomes from other species.

Humans

Year in Review: New discoveries reshape debate over human ancestry

Human evolution appears poised for a scientific makeover as the relationships among early hominids are disputed.

Health & Medicine

Your youngest kid is three inches taller than you think

Mothers fall prey to the “baby illusion” and consistently underestimate the height of their youngest kid.

Cosmology

Year in Review: Planck refines cosmic history

The satellite data hint at a slower expansion rate for universe.

Astronomy

Exoplanet dangerously close to demise

Kepler-91b could be on the brink of death — at least on astronomical time scales.