All Stories
- Math
Tomorrow’s catch
A biologist who formerly applied his mathematical talents in finance has developed new ways of predicting the ups and downs of fish populations.
- Life
Marine microbes shed packets of DNA, nutrients
The world’s most abundant marine microorganism, the photosynthetic bacteria Prochlorococcus, spits out nutrient-rich vesicles into ocean waters, perhaps for genetic exchange or as a survival mechanism.
- Neuroscience
A schizophrenia drug turns on protein factories in cells
Haloperidol reshapes neurons, which might explain how the medicine works.
- Computing
Materials’ light tricks may soon extend to doing math
A simulation paves the way toward metamaterials that can perform ultrafast complex mathematical operations using light waves.
- Animals
Finally, evidence that a starfish’s eyes let it see
The sea star’s vision isn’t great, but it’s good enough to help the animal find its way home.
- Genetics
Elephant shark genome small and slow to evolve
The animals have the smallest genome of non-bony fishes and the slowest-evolving genes among vertebrates, a study suggests.
- Health & Medicine
Pacemaker treats sleep apnea
Experimental device works for many patients who can’t use breathing machines.
- Animals
Dog-paddle science debunks notion of underwater trot
From Newfoundlands to Yorkshire terriers, canines swim with similar, distinctive gait.
- Astronomy
Earth-mass planet resembles a mini-Neptune
KOI-314c, an exoplanet 200 light-years away, is about 60 percent larger than Earth but made mostly of gas.
- Psychology
Migraines respond to great expectations
Patients get more pain relief from drug and placebo labeled as headache busters than from those labeled as dummy pills.
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Extinct ocean reptiles now appear in color
Fossilized turtle, mosasaur and ichthyosaur tissue holds skin pigments that give scientists clues about what the animals looked like and how the coloration may have helped in colder climates.
- Chemistry
Battery blueprint promises green energy storage
A device that relies on organic molecules could cheaply bank power from renewable sources.
