All Stories

  1. Life

    Not so different after all

    Plague bacteria may be deadlier than its harmless cousin because of a few small genetic changes.

    By
  2. Climate

    Air Pollution Can Be So Cool — ing

    Fossil-fuel pollution has been offsetting global warming to the tune of about 30 percent per year. Cleaning up that pollution, a must, threatens to accelerate warming unless humanity changes its fuel-use strategy.

    By
  3. Life

    The Arctic isn’t alone

    Insects and other animals that regulate their body temperature externally may be especially vulnerable as the world warms.

    By
  4. Life

    DNA tweak no good for diabetics

    A genetic variation that increases levels of a blood-building protein also ups the risk of developing complications from diabetes.

    By
  5. Health & Medicine

    Potential for protection

    A study of U.S. veterans suggests that the anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen could have a protective effect against Alzheimer’s disease. But researchers say more work is needed.

    By
  6. Astronomy

    Honing the Hubble

    Astronomers are sharpening measurements of a familiar cosmic parameter to shed new light on dark energy, the mysterious entity that’s accelerating the universe’s rate of expansion.

    By
  7. Earth

    A Feverish World

    What's behind global warming—and is there anything we can do?

    By
  8. A moment on the lips …

    Adults may be stuck with the fat they have. A study suggests the number of fat cells doesn't change with weight gain or loss.

    By
  9. Math

    Insights into symmetry

    This year's Abel Prize goes to mathematicians involved in group theory.

    By
  10. Life

    Coral keeps it in the family

    The nutrients released during mass coral spawning feed the whole ecosystem.

    By
  11. Health & Medicine

    Rice Woes, Pt. 1

    A shortfall in rice production has been developing well under the radar screen of agricultural economists and growers. The bad news: It promises to get much worse, and fairly soon.

    By
  12. Trouble with truffles

    A Chinese truffle species has invaded Italy, raising fears that the newcomer could overgrow the Italian black truffle on its home territory.

    By