All Stories

  1. Neuroscience

    When brain’s GPS goes awry, barriers can reboot it

    Brain’s internal map self-corrects when it hits a (literal) wall.

    By Laura Sanders
  2. Animals

    How many manatees live in Florida?

    The most recent official count reports more than 6,000 manatees in Florida waters, but a new estimate may give a better picture of the population.

    By Sarah Zielinski
  3. Life

    ‘Geographic tongue’ creates unique topography

    A condition called ‘geographic tongue’ makes mouth organ appear maplike.

    By Helen Thompson
  4. Health & Medicine

    Same mutations can show up in tumors, healthy tissues

    Analyzing samples of healthy and tumor tissues could pinpoint which mutations are driving cancer and help develop better-targeted treatments.

    By Nathan Seppa
  5. Life

    Researchers pull fingers to solve why knuckles crack

    Knuckle cracking is the sound of a bubble forming in a joint, MRI images reveal.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  6. Health & Medicine

    Why cancer patients waste away

    A tumor-produced protein that interferes with insulin causes wasting in fruit flies with cancer.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  7. Astronomy

    Galactic split provides clue to dark matter mystery

    An oddly divided galaxy may provide the first evidence that dark matter particles interact through a force other than gravity.

    By Andrew Grant
  8. Animals

    Shimmer and shine may help prey sabotage predators’ aim

    Iridescent prey was more difficult to strike in a video game for birds.

    By Susan Milius
  9. Neuroscience

    Nicotine exposure escalates rats’ desire for alcohol

    Rats drink more alcohol after they’ve been hooked on nicotine.

    By Laura Sanders
  10. Plants

    From lemons to kumquats, roots of citrus variety dug up

    Citrus fruits’ lineage is traced through chloroplast DNA, revealing both maternal and paternal heritage.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  11. Astronomy

    Map pinpoints location of invisible dark matter

    A new map shows that dark matter is concentrated in regions that contain a lot of ordinary matter in the form of galaxy clusters.

    By Andrew Grant
  12. Astronomy

    Map pinpoints location of invisible dark matter

    Dark matter can’t be seen, but a new map shows where it’s hiding. The map confirms that the mysterious matter is concentrated in regions that contain a lot of ordinary matter in the form of galaxy clusters.

    By Andrew Grant