All Stories
- Animals
Purpose of zebra stripes remains a mystery
Zebra stripes don’t help the animals disappear in the vision of predators, a new study finds.
- Genetics
DNA may determine if you’re an early bird or night owl
Morning people are more likely to have certain variations in their DNA, but less likely to have insomnia or sleep apnea.
- Genetics
DNA may determine if you’re an early bird or night owl
Morning people are more likely to have certain variations in their DNA, but less likely to have insomnia or sleep apnea.
- Astronomy
Odd star’s dimming not aliens’ doing
A star’s flickering light and century-long dimming have astronomers hunting for exocomet storms, prowling dust clouds and even alien engineers.
- Genetics
U.K. first to approve gene editing of human embryos for research
The United Kingdom is the first government to approve gene editing in human embryos for research purposes.
- Health & Medicine
WHO declares international emergency for cases linked to Zika virus
The recent spate of birth defects and neurological disorders linked to Zika virus infection constitutes an international public health emergency, the World Health Organization declared February 1.
- Climate
Phytoplankton rapidly disappearing from the Indian Ocean
Phytoplankton populations in the Indian Ocean fell 30 percent over the last 16 years largely due to global warming, new research suggests.
- Microbes
Random changes in behavior speed bacteria evolution
Microbes can speed up evolution by changing phenotypes.
- Planetary Science
Computer simulations heat up hunt for Planet Nine
A giant planet in the far outer solar system could explain orbital oddities of bodies in the fringes of the Kuiper belt.
- Animals
Behavior, body size impact bats’ fight against white-nose syndrome
Behavioral and physical traits buffer some bats against white-nose syndrome while leaving others vulnerable.
- Neuroscience
Immune system gene leads to schizophrenia clue
Excessive snipping of nerve cell connections may contribute to schizophrenia.
- Genetics
Readers question gene-drive engineered mosquitoes and their predators
Readers discuss the effects of gene-drive engineered mosquitoes and muse on their science bucket list.
