News
- Humans
Sweeps weak in human evolution
Contrary to conventional wisdom, the rapid spread of beneficial mutations has been relatively rare in the evolutionary history of Homo sapiens, a new study shows.
- Life
Packing away the poison
A genetic adaptation in a Hudson River fish species allows it to simply store toxic pollutants in its fat.
By Janet Raloff - Life
Hibernation mystery
Somehow overwintering bears slow their metabolic rates far more than their slightly decreased body temperatures would predict.
By Susan Milius - Physics
Antilaser sucks up light
A new technology could be used in optical computing.
By Devin Powell - Health & Medicine
Saving preemies’ vision
A drug designed to fight cancer also may thwart aberrant blood vessel growth in the eyes of babies born preterm, a study finds.
By Nathan Seppa - Humans
Ice Age cups crafted from crania
An English cave serves up the oldest known vessels made from human skulls
By Bruce Bower - Humans
Human ancestors have identity crisis
Fossils heralded as the remains of 4- to 7-million-year-old hominids might actually come from apes.
By Bruce Bower - Space
‘Deep Impact’ comet revisited
NASA takes pictures of Tempel 1 five years after shooting it with a probe.
By Ron Cowen - Life
Carnivorous bladderworts suck up prey
High-speed movies confirm that bug-eating plants are vacuum feeders.
- Health & Medicine
Brain cells start sending signals early
Fetal neurons show firing patterns similar to those seen in sleeping adults.
- Humans
2012 budget offers pain and gain for R&D
In a year of federal belt-tightening, the administration prioritizes basic research, education, clean energy and environmental science.
By Janet Raloff -