News in Brief

  1. Animals

    Even on remote islands, busy ports mean more invasives

    Islands with lots of trading ties are more likely to be colonized by invasive species, even when they are geographically remote, a new study of anoles reveals.

    By Kate Baggaley
  2. Tech

    Solar cell powers water-to-hydrogen conversion

    High efficiency could make perovskite solar cells useful for generating environmentally friendly fuel.

    By Sam Lemonick
  3. Science & Society

    Syria’s World Heritage Sites severely damaged by war

    Satellite images reveal that five of the country’s six World Heritage Sites have suffered damage and some structures have been completely destroyed.

    By Beth Mole
  4. Health & Medicine

    Recovery time from surgery foretold

    Blood samples taken from patients after surgery might reveal who is destined for a quick rebound.

    By Nathan Seppa
  5. Tech

    Hybrid robot merges flier with two snakelike machines

    A helicopter robot can airlift snakelike search-and-rescue bots out of tight situations.

    By Meghan Rosen
  6. Life

    Molecule boosts numbers of stem cells in umbilical cord blood

    A new molecule multiplies stem cells in umbilical cord blood. More blood-making stem cells could mean more effective transplants for people with blood cancers.

    By Kate Baggaley
  7. Tech

    Octobot uses webbed arms to swim faster

    Octopus-inspired robot could one day help researchers observe underwater ecosystems.

    By Meghan Rosen
  8. Anthropology

    Strategy, not habitat loss, leads chimps to kill rivals

    Human impacts on chimpanzees have not increased their violence.

    By Bruce Bower
  9. Quantum Physics

    Three photons entangled, not just two

    Physicists have found a way to entangle a trio of photons, but it works only once in every quadrillion attempts.

    By Andrew Grant
  10. Astronomy

    Mystery of missing lithium extends beyond Milky Way

    Stars in cluster Messier 54, part of a nearby dwarf galaxy, have just as little lithium as stars in the Milky Way, suggesting that the mystery of the missing element is universal.

    By Christopher Crockett
  11. Psychology

    People see own good but gossip about others’ misdeeds

    Daily cellphone surveys probe the gap between the focus on personal virtue and negative chatter.

    By Bruce Bower
  12. Microbes

    Vaccines and gut microbes join forces to fight flu

    Losing gut microbes weakens the protective ability of the flu vaccine in mice.

    By Nsikan Akpan