All Stories

Quantum Physics

Google’s quantum computer speeds up, but practical use is unclear

Google’s D-Wave quantum computer is getting faster, but it’s still unclear whether it will ever outperform regular computers at completing useful tasks.

Life

Microbes show up on schedule after death

Microbes in the soil beneath dead bodies offer forensic clues for time and place of death.

Earth

Gooey rock in mantle thickens 1,000 kilometers down

Gravitational tugs provide an unprecedented peek into the structure of Earth’s mantle and reveal a sudden increase in viscosity roughly 1,000 kilometers below ground.

Chemistry

Elusive chemical reaction transition state captured

A new method provides a detailed look at the elusive transition state.

Neuroscience

Brain shapes come from mom and dad

By linking genes to brain shapes, scientists have a new way to study how the brain works.

Archaeology

6,000-year-old skeletons in French pit came from victims of violence

Human bones in a French pit recall lethal conflicts and limb lopping 6,000 years ago.

Animals

Some warblers make their long winter migration even longer

Blackpoll warblers in western North America head east to fatten up before their transoceanic migration.

Animals

Playful pups conceived via in vitro fertilization for the first time

Scientists have solved the mystery of how to perform in vitro fertilization in dogs, which could help rid canines of heritable diseases.

Planetary Science

Salty source of Ceres’ mysterious bright spots found

Bright spots on Ceres contain salts from a possible subsurface layer of ice while ammonia-rich minerals hint at building blocks incorporated from the far outer solar system.

Genetics

Liberia’s Ebola outbreak largely traced to one source

Ebola’s spread and evolution in Liberia echoes patterns seen in Sierra Leone.

Health & Medicine

Iron helps growing bodies, but could too much do harm?

Iron fortification has been a public health victory in the fight against childhood anemia. But too much iron may be a cause for concern, scientists propose.

Climate

Global carbon emissions fell in 2015, despite economic growth

Society’s carbon footprint fell slightly in 2015, largely due to decrease coal consumption in China, researchers report.