News
- Earth
Squall line tornadoes are sneaky, dangerous and difficult to forecast
New research is revealing the secrets of these destructive twisters, which dodge radar scans and often form at night.
- Climate
Zigzag walls could help buildings beat the heat
A corrugated exterior wall reflects heat to space and absorbs less heat from the ground, keeping it several degrees cooler than a flat wall.
- Astronomy
Some meteors leave trails lasting up to an hour. Now we may know why
A new survey of meteors that leave persistent trails found that speed and brightness don’t matter as much as atmospheric chemistry.
- Earth
Earthquakes added to Pompeii’s death toll
Broken bodies found at the archaeological site indicate that earthquakes played a role in the legendary tragedy.
- Climate
Record-breaking Coral Sea temperatures threaten the Great Barrier Reef
Near-annual extreme heat in the Coral Sea, including in 2024, is causing back-to-back mass bleaching events in the iconic Great Barrier Reef.
- Animals
Hundreds of snake species get a new origin story
Elapoid snakes, including cobras, mambas and sea snakes, may have evolved in Asia, not Africa as many researchers once thought.
- Animals
Why a small seabird dares to fly toward cyclones
Tracking data show that Desertas petrels often veer toward cyclones and follow in their wake, perhaps to catch prey drawn to the surface.
- Archaeology
Was Egypt’s first pyramid built with hydraulics? The theory may hold water
A controversial analysis contends that ancient engineers designed a water-powered elevator to hoist stones for King Djoser’s pyramid.
- Animals
Pheromone fingers may help poison frogs mate
Specialized glands in the fingertips of some males may produce seductive chemical signals.
- Neuroscience
Alzheimer’s blood tests are getting better, but still have a ways to go
Blood biomarker tests could help doctors know if a person's cognitive symptoms are due to Alzheimer's or something else.
- Chemistry
Tycho Brahe dabbled in alchemy. Broken glassware is revealing his recipes
The shards contain nine metals that the famous astronomer may have used, including one not formally identified until 180 years after his death.
- Artificial Intelligence
Can we train AI to be creative? One lab is testing ideas
Artificial intelligence explores new ideas by tapping human intuition, a step toward humanlike intelligence.
