News
- Life
Blue-green algae release chemical suspected in some amphibian deformities
Retinoic acid levels high in waterways rich in cyanobacteria blooms.
- Earth
Supervolcanoes evolve superquickly
Huge underground chambers of magma appear and erupt within just several centuries, a study of California rocks suggests.
- Chemistry
Youngsters can sniff out old people’s scent
Body odor changes detectably with age, becoming mellower in men and not at all offensive in either sex — even to young people.
- Health & Medicine
Fever in pregnancy linked to autism
Pregnant women who run a high temperature that goes untreated may double their risk of having an autistic child, a study finds.
- Space
An interview with alien hunter Jill Tarter
The director of Center for SETI Research is retiring to focus on finding funds to continue the hunt for extraterrestrial life.
- Humans
Climate skepticism not rooted in science illiteracy
Cultural values are more important than science knowledge in shaping a person’s views on global warming.
- Humans
Harappans may have lived, died by monsoon
Waning of seasonal rains over millennia gave rise to a civilization and then doomed it, a new study suggests.
- Life
How not to eat the wrong frog
Panamanian bats use an array of senses to keep from ingesting poison prey.
- Life
Blue light tells plants when to flower
Protein that marks day length also coordinates blooming genes.
- Humans
Family labels framed similarly across cultures
Despite differing languages, a trade-off between simplicity and usefulness of words defining kin relationships might be universal.
- Tech
Bacterial trick keeps robots in sync
Communicating information about the environment allows a stumbling machine to rejoin its group.
- Life
Delay of bloom blamed on climate change
Flowers that appear immune to global warming in spring may simply be taking a cue from the previous warmer autumn.
