All Stories
- Genetics
Scientists move closer to building synthetic yeast from scratch
Scientists have created five more synthetic yeast chromosomes.
- Earth
Warming soils may belch much more carbon
New measurements suggest soils below 15 centimeters deep could play a sizable role in boosting carbon emissions as the planet warms.
- Animals
De-extinction probably isn’t worth it
Diverting money to resurrecting extinct creatures could put those still on Earth at risk.
- Archaeology
Ancient dental plaque tells tales of Neandertal diet and disease
Researchers have reconstructed the diet and disease history of ancient Neandertals.
- Archaeology
Ancient dental plaque tells tales of Neandertal diet and disease
Researchers have reconstructed the diet and disease history of ancient Neandertals.
- Archaeology
Ancient nomadic herders beat a path to the Silk Road
Herders’ mountain treks helped mold the Silk Road, an ancient, cross-continental trade network.
- Animals
Readers dispute starfishes’ water-swirling abilities
Volcanic eruptions, fast-freezing water, starfish physics and more in reader feedback.
- Science & Society
Science journalists don’t use the science of ‘nudge’
Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill discusses the mission of science journalists.
- Neuroscience
Brain training turns recall rookies into memory masters
Six weeks of training turned average people into memory masters, a skill reflected in their brains.
- Science & Society
Data-driven crime prediction fails to erase human bias
Software programs that predict where crimes will occur don’t eliminate bias; they exacerbate it.
- Psychology
Nudging people to make good choices can backfire
Steering people’s decisions with simple nudges, such as e-mail reminders or opt-out programs, can come with a downside.
- Astronomy
Astronomers detect oldest known stardust in distant galaxy
The first stardust ever generated in the universe may have been spotted in a distant galaxy, seen as it was 600 million years after the Big Bang.
