All Stories
-
GeneticsGene editing reverses liver disorder in mice
By editing a mouse's genes with bacterial proteins, scientists have reversed a rare liver disorder in the animal.
-
PaleontologyMicrobes indicted in ancient mass extinction
About 252 million years ago an estimated 96 percent of all species were wiped from Earth, and now scientists have a new suspect in the killing — methane-belching microbes.
-
PsychologyTwenty-two emotions are written on our faces
People’s faces express at least 22 feelings – far more than the six emotions scientists previously recognized.
By Meghan Rosen -
Health & MedicineDaylight saving time linked to heart attacks
Hospital admissions for heart attacks increases after daylight savings time starts, a study suggests.
By Nathan Seppa -
Health & MedicineThis rare skull-thickening disease led to a 3-D-printed replacement
A skull implant made with a 3-D printer replaced the 2-inch-thick skull of a Dutch woman with the rare van Buchem disease.
-
TechMindless: Why Smarter Machines are Making Dumber Humans
Simon Head argues that computer business systems leave middle managers and workers with little creative latitude. They acquire fewer skills and their wages stagnate, hurting their job quality and buying power.
By Nathan Seppa -
Materials ScienceOyster shells could inspire improved armor
Making tiny indentations in windowpane oyster shells has revealed some processes that could inspire better armor.
-
NeuroscienceHa! The Science of When We Laugh and Why
Scott Weems, a neuroscientist, takes readers on a wide-ranging tour that explains what humor is and why readers should care.
By Sid Perkins -
AnimalsAs their homes warm, salamanders shrink
Many species of salamanders respond to climate change by getting smaller.
-
Health & MedicineBile acids may play lead role in weight-loss surgery
Having more gastric juices swirling around a smaller space and a change in the gut microbiome may be what helps with weight loss after stomach-shrinking surgery.
-
AstronomyThis winter warrior made the gravitational waves discovery possible
Engineer Steffen Richter played an important role in the recent gravitational waves discovery, wintering at the Amundsen-Scott research station at the South Pole and making daily treks to keep the BICEP2 telescope running.
By Andrew Grant -
Health & MedicineAutism spike may reflect better diagnoses, and that’s a good thing
As doctors get better at spotting autism spectrum disorders, kids may get help earlier — and the numbers of diagnoses will increase.