Feature
- Microbes
Microbial matter comes out of the dark
Undiscovered bacteria challenge what scientists know about microbial life.
- Life
CRISPR inspires new tricks to edit genes
CRISPR/Cas9 has been a rockstar gene-editing tool for just four years and it’s already being tweaked to do more things better.
- Neuroscience
What Donkey Kong can tell us about how to study the brain
Neuroscience tools failed to reveal much about a simple microprocessor. What can they really tell us about the brain?
- Physics
The pressure is on to make metallic hydrogen
Scientists are getting close to turning hydrogen into a metal — both in liquid form and maybe even solid form. The rewards, if they pull it off, are worth the effort.
- Environment
New desalination tech could help quench global thirst
Designed with better, more energy-efficient materials, next-generation desalination plants may offer a way to meet the world’s growing need for freshwater.
- Earth
Iron-loving elements tell stories of Earth’s history
By studying geochemical footprints of rare elements, researchers get a glimpse of the planet’s evolution.
- Tech
SPIDER shrinks telescopes with far-out design
Researchers hope new approach to interferometry and photonics will replace standard telescopes and long-range cameras where room is scarce.
- Life
A healthy old age may trump immortality
Despite disagreements about what aging is and isn't, scientists have reached a radical consensus: It can be delayed.
- Neuroscience
The brain’s blueprint for aging is set early in life
The brain's decline may mirror its beginning, offering clues to aging.
- Animals
Organisms age in myriad ways — and some might not even bother
There is great variety in how animals and plants deteriorate (or don’t) over time.
- Health & Medicine
Vaccines could counter addictive opioids
Scientists turn to vaccines to curb the growing opioid epidemic.
- Science & Society
Special Report: Aging’s Future
What is aging? How does it change the brain? How did different life histories evolve? This special report addresses those questions and more.
