All Stories
- Animals
Invasion drives quick evolution of lizard feet
After Florida islands were invaded by the Cuban anole, indigenous Carolina anoles quickly evolved feet better suited for climbing high.
- Archaeology
Ice Age hunter-gatherers lived at extreme altitudes
Two archaeological sites in the Andes indicate that hunter-gatherers inhabited extreme altitudes earlier than previously thought.
- Health & Medicine
Cocoa antioxidants boost the aging brain
High doses of cocoa flavanols can improve some types of brain function in older individuals, a new study shows.
- Science & Society
Is NIH policy the best way to sex equality in studies?
A new NIH policy will require females to be studied alongside males in preclinical studies. The mandate comes with both opportunities and challenges, and little funding.
- Genetics
Men who lose Y chromosome have high risk of cancer
Losing the Y chromosome in blood cells may bring on cancer and shorten men’s lives.
- Astronomy
Supersized sunspot is largest in decades
A colossal sunspot large enough to be seen with the naked eye now blemishes the nearside of the sun, covering an area wide enough to comfortably fit 10 Earths side by side.
- Plants
How female ferns make younger neighbors male
Precocious female ferns release a partly formed sexual-identity hormone, and nearby laggards finish it and go masculine.
By Susan Milius - Genetics
Easter Islanders sailed to Americas, DNA suggests
Genetic ties among present-day populations point to sea crossings centuries before European contact with Easter Island.
By Bruce Bower - Paleontology
Bright feathers give hints about dino vision
Dinosaurs may have seen the world in brilliant ultraviolet light and turquoises, which may have influenced the evolution of birds' feathers.
- Planetary Science
Rosetta’s comet is starting to let off more gas
Rosetta's close encounter with comet 67P reveals the growth of its jets and what's in the comet's surrounding haze.
- Tech
New microscope gives clear view inside cells
By splitting beams of light, a new microscopy technique can capture activity inside a cell.
By Meghan Rosen - Animals
Southern birds may be moving into your winter backyard
A warming climate is letting warm-adapted birds live farther north in winter, a new study finds.