All Stories

Space

Before the beginning

A new analysis suggests that the universe exists within a bigger space.

Planetary Science

Shake, shake, shake

Instrument succeeds in capturing first soil sample, allowing Mars Phoenix Lander team to begin scientific studies.

Humans

Wash Your Veggies!

The lesson in all of these food-poisoning outbreaks is that we must not expect a risk-free food-supply chain.

Astronomy

From planet to plutoid

Pluto and its dwarf planet neighbors are christened plutoids, the International Astronomical Union rules.

Humans

Teacher Certification Increases, But . . .

Rigorous standards exist for what teachers should know and be able to do. The rub: only about three U.S. teachers out of every five schools have demonstrated they meet those standards.

Health & Medicine

Virus versus virus

Customized RNA snippets delivered by a harmless virus could someday provide a new way to combat the hepatitis B virus.

Health & Medicine

Seeing disease’s acidic side

Small tumors can be detected using a new technique that safely, reliably and noninvasively measures tissue chemistry.

Climate

Goldilocks tree leaves

Leaves mostly keep their cool (or warmth) wherever they live, a finding that might affect reconstructions of past climates.

Physics

Life’s code in soap

The mathematics of soapy water yields some clues to the origin of the genetic code.

Humans

Symbolic snacks

Capuchin monkeys can reason with tokens as they do with different foods, demonstrating a basic capacity for thinking symbolically.

Health & Medicine

Parasite payback

The protozoan parasite that causes leishmaniasis seems vulnerable to the anticancer drug tamoxifen, research in mice shows.

Physics

Suction hunters

Scientists reveal new details on how extendable jaws help fish capture prey.