News
- Paleontology
Did ancient superbees squash diversity?
The recent discovery of several dozen extinct bee species in ancient amber deposits has led one paleontologist to propose that the very success of some bees' social lifestyle led to today's dearth of hive-dwelling species.
- Health & Medicine
HIV-related viruses still cross species line
Various potentially dangerous strains of simian immunodeficiency virus exist in wild primates in Africa and are still being spread among people who hunt the animals for meat.
- Physics
Force from empty space drives a machine
A novel micromachine uses quantum fluctuations of empty space to help drive its motion.
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Infection divides two wasp species
Two tiny wasp species provide the best evidence yet that infection by Wolbachia bacteria can play a role in forming species.
- Astronomy
Old stars reveal universe’s minimum age
Using a technique more precise than ever before, an international team of researchers has estimated the age of the universe to be at least 12.5 billion years old.
- Anthropology
Neandertals and humans each get a grip
A fossil analysis indicates that, by about 100,000 years ago, modern humans in the Middle East had hands suited to holding stone tools by attached handles, whereas Neandertals did not.
- Health & Medicine
One-Two Drug Punch Trips Up Leukemia
A leukemia cell seals its own fate when researchers trap cancer-causing proteins in its nucleus.
- Plants
The bladderwort: No ruthless microbe killer
A carnivorous plant called a bladderwort may not be a fierce predator at all but a misunderstood mutualist.
- Earth
Antarctic glacier thins and speeds up
One of the largest glaciers in Antarctica is growing thinner and retreating inland, spurring concerns that changes occurring along the coastline may be causing the ice stream to drain more material from the interior of the continent and send it out to sea, thus aggravating rising sea levels.
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Life’s Housing May Come from Space
The cell-like envelopes in which life on Earth arose and evolved may literally have dropped from the sky.
- Earth
Seismic shivers tell of tornado touchdown
Researchers say they can now use earthquake-detecting seismometers to detect and possibly track all but the weakest tornadoes.
- Earth
Electricity-leaking office equipment
Nearly 2 percent of U.S. electricity each year goes to power office equipment that had ostensibly been turned off.
