All Stories
- Paleontology
‘Hidden dragon’ fossil is oldest flying reptile
Researchers have unearthed the oldest pterodactyl ever discovered: Kptodrakon progenitor soared over the Earth 163 million years ago.
- Health & Medicine
Induced labor doesn’t necessarily kick off cascade of interventions
A large analysis of clinical trials finds that jump-starting labor actually leads to fewer C-sections, a finding that runs contrary to common birthing wisdom.
- Astronomy
Chilly starlike orb found just a few light-years away
WISE J085510.83-071442.5 is the coldest brown dwarf found to date.
- Genetics
Y chromosome gets a closer examination
The Y chromosome may play a larger role in Turner syndrome and in health and disease differences between males and females than previously thought.
- Animals
A guide to the world’s biggest flightless birds
A rhea on the loose in England has prompted warnings about approaching the bird. From ostriches to cassowaries, here’s your guide to friendly and unfriendly big birds.
- Climate
Glacial microbes gobble methane
While some bacteria produce methane in Greenland’s melting ice sheet, others may consume the greenhouse gas as it escapes.
- Astronomy
More details of super-bright supernova released
A supernova whose light was magnified by a large galaxy in front of it is changing the way astronomers think about distant cosmic objects.
- Animals
Frustrated fish get feisty
Smaller rainbow trout become more aggressive towards bigger fish when they don’t their usual treats.
- Psychology
Word-streaming tech may spell trouble for readers
Technologies like Spritz that display one word at a time on a screen reduce reading comprehension, a new study concludes.
- Materials Science
How fractals jam glassy materials
Understanding the intricate energy landscape of glasses could help to explain what happens when glassy materials are deformed or when coffee beans in a container jam.
- Genetics
Farmers assimilated foragers as they spread agriculture
While some European hunter-gatherers remained separate, others mated with the early farmers that introduced agriculture to the continent.
- Humans
Could the menstrual cycle have shaped the evolution of music?
A new study suggesting that women select better musicians shows how women’s role in evolution is being redefined.
