All Stories

  1. Physics

    Groundbreaking ways of manipulating light win trio the 2018 physics Nobel

    Three scientists, including the third woman to win a physics Nobel, are honored for their laser inventions.

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  2. Health & Medicine

    Discovery of how to prod a patient’s immune system to fight cancer wins a Nobel

    Two scientists share the 2018 medicine Nobel for identifying proteins that act as brakes on tumor-fighting T cells.

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  3. Plants

    Gene editing can speed up plant domestication

    CRISPR/Cas9 replays domestication to make better ground cherries and tomatoes.

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  4. Genetics

    Smuggling a CRISPR gene editor into staph bacteria can kill the pathogen

    A new way fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria co-opts toxin-producing genes.

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  5. Life

    Cancer immunotherapy wins the 2018 medicine Nobel Prize

    Therapies that unleash immune system brakes against cancer have earned the 2018 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine.

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  6. Astronomy

    We may not have found aliens yet because we’ve barely begun looking

    A new calculation says SETI searches have combed the equivalent of a hot tub out of Earth’s oceans looking for extraterrestrial intelligence in space.

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  7. Particle Physics

    Hints of weird particles from space may defy physicists’ standard model

    Signals from the ANITA experiment don’t square with the properties of elementary particles cataloged in the standard model.

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  8. Climate

    Warm tropical Atlantic waters juiced the 2017 hurricane season

    Anomalously warm ocean waters in the tropical Atlantic Ocean drove 2017’s hurricane powerhouses.

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  9. Materials Science

    This reflective paint could keep sunbaked buildings cool

    A new type of polymer coating that reflects sunlight to control heat could supplement or replace air conditioning systems.

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  10. Science & Society

    Before his early death, Riemann freed geometry from Euclidean prejudices

    The originator of Riemann’s hypothesis died young, but he provided the geometry needed for modern view of spacetime.

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  11. Animals

    Feral cats appear to be pathetic at controlling New York City’s rats

    When cats are on the prowl, rats may become harder to see, but roaming cats actually killed only a few.

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  12. Health & Medicine

    The CDC says 80,000 people died from the flu last year

    The 2017-2018 flu season was one of the deadliest on record for the United States.

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