News
- Ecosystems
Bird poop helps keep coral reefs healthy, but rats are messing that up
Eradicating invasive rats from islands may help boost numbers of seabirds, whose droppings provide nutrients to nearby coral reefs.
- Paleontology
Long-necked dinosaurs grew to be giants in more ways than one
Some early relatives of giant, long-necked sauropods may have used a different strategy to grow to colossal sizes than previously thought.
- Materials Science
Designer diamonds could one day help build a quantum internet
A new design in artificial diamonds stores and releases quantum information better than others.
- Earth
Kilauea’s spectacular pyrotechnics show no signs of stopping
Watch some of the most striking videos and images of the strange, fiery beauty of the Hawaii volcano’s ongoing eruption.
- Animals
Soaring spiders may get cues from electric charges in the air
Spiders can sense atmospheric electric fields, which might give them cues to take to the air.
- Neuroscience
Nerve cells that help control hunger have been ID’d in mice
A mysterious bump on the human brain may be able to dial appetite up or down.
- Astronomy
NASA’s Parker probe is about to get up close and personal with the sun
The Parker Solar Probe is about to make a historic voyage to touch the sun.
- Anthropology
Foot fossil pegs hominid kids as upright walkers 3.3 million years ago
A foot from an ancient hominid child suggests that Lucy’s species, Australopithecus afarensis, walked early in life.
- Animals
Researchers create hybrid embryos of endangered white rhinos
Scientists have made the first rhino embryos, providing a small glimmer of hope for the nearly extinct northern white rhinoceros.
- Health & Medicine
Evidence grows that an HPV screen beats a Pap test at preventing cancer
More research finds that a test for human papillomavirus infection catches precancerous cervical cells better than the standard test, a Pap.
- Life
This ‘junk’ gene may be important in embryo development
Mice — and maybe humans — can’t get past the two-cell stage of development without a particular type of jumping gene.
- Genetics
Koala genome may contain clues for helping the species survive
The complete genetic instruction book of a koala may explain why the cuddly-looking cuties are such picky eaters, among other secrets.
