News
- Life
Young elephant struck by idea
In a test of insight, a 7-year-old pachyderm finds a way to use toy cube to snag a fruity treat hung just out of reach.
By Susan Milius - Climate
El Niños may inflame civil unrest
Weather extremes associated with this climate phenomenon appear to double the risk that conflict will erupt in any given year.
By Janet Raloff - Health & Medicine
Studies shed light on Ebola’s M.O.
New findings reveal a key step in how the deadly virus infects cells — and identify compounds that may thwart it.
By Nathan Seppa - Astronomy
Galactic bull’s-eye came naturally
A strange cosmic object isn't the result of a galactic crash, a new study suggests.
- Earth
Magnitude 5.8 earthquake hits Virginia
The region's largest tremor in recent history hit northwest of Richmond, felt over much of the East Coast.
By Devin Powell - Life
Lager’s mystery ingredient found
After scouring the globe, researchers find the missing ancestor of the yeast used to make cold-brewed beer in an unexpected place.
- Humans
The world’s oldest profession: chef
The invention of cooking almost 2 million years ago was a central event in human evolution, a new study suggests.
- Humans
Stress spears deployed service personnel
Supply officers draw as much or more emotional fire as combat soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
By Bruce Bower - Life
Antidepressants show signs of countering Alzheimer’s
Human brain scans and mice data link serotonin-boosting drugs with reduced plaque density.
- Anthropology
The Iceman’s last meal: goat
Two decades after he was discovered sticking out of an Alpine glacier, a famous 5,300-year-old mummy’s diet details and hiking habits are revealed.
- Psychology
Spoilers freshen up stories
Giving away the plot may aid, not ruin, story enjoyment.
By Bruce Bower -