All Stories
- Animals
Snake moms-to-be crave toxic toads
The snake Rhabdophis tigrinus seeks out toxic toads to eat when breeding. The snakes can then pass the poisons on to her offspring as chemical defenses.
- Neuroscience
Serotonin lies at the intersection of pain and itch
Serotonin may help relieve pain, but it also causes itch. A study shows why scratching just makes it worse.
- Health & Medicine
Whooping cough shot shown safe for pregnant women
Women who get a booster shot against whooping cough, or pertussis, during pregnancy don’t increase their risk of having a problem birth, and they boost their babies’ immunity to the disease.
- Genetics
Human thoughts control mouse genes
Human brain waves trigger light that activates protein production in rodents.
- Planetary Science
Philae passes first go-no-go tests for comet landing
Philae and its mothership Rosetta are working through the final tests before scientists attempt to launch the lander toward the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
- Neuroscience
Chronic marijuana use may alter the brain
Long-term marijuana use may lead to reduced gray matter and increased white matter connectivity in the brain.
- Genetics
Genes tell tale of cat domestication
A peek into cats’ genetic makeup may help reveal how hissing wild felines became purring tabbies.
- Astronomy
Rosetta’s countdown to comet landing has begun
Everything is on track for Rosetta mission scientists to attempt to set the Philae lander on the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
- Environment
Thirdhand smoke poses lingering danger
Harmful cigarette chemicals that linger on surfaces, known as thirdhand smoke, can go on to pollute the air and may harm people’s health.
- Planetary Science
Rosetta prepares to let go of its comet lander
To date, everything is a go for scientists to attempt to land a robotic probe on a comet.
- Planetary Science
Comet delivered a showy meteor shower — on Mars
Comet Siding Spring dumped several tons of material into the Martian atmosphere that could have damaged NASA spacecraft.
- Neuroscience
Brain regions linking odors to words pinpointed
Scientists have pinpointed two brain regions involved in linking odors to their names, with implications for why smells are hard to identify.
