News
- Animals
When do cats play fetch? When they feel like it
Most cats that play fetch picked it up on their own, a study of cat owners suggests. The felines tend to dictate when a fetching session begins and ends.
- Astronomy
A bar of stars at the center of the Milky Way looks surprisingly young
The ages and locations of metal-rich stars in the galaxy suggest the Milky Way’s central bar finished forming just a few billion years ago.
- Animals
A new species of hedgehog stands out for its short spikes
At first, the eastern forest hedgehog was mistaken for its cousin. Dental and DNA analyses eventually confirmed the critter is a species new to science.
- Animals
Why do some lizards and snakes have horns?
These reptiles’ horns can be an asset or a liability. A new study looks at the evolutionary roots of this wild headgear.
- Health & Medicine
A gene editing technique shows promise for lowering LDL cholesterol
In a trial of 10 people with familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic medicine reduced levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood by up to 55 percent.
- Astronomy
How tiny red stars can test ideas about the origin of life
A survey of ultracool dwarf stars finds they don’t emit enough UV light to kick-start life, but they could reveal other ways for life to get going.
- Anthropology
Spanish horses joined Indigenous South Americans’ societies long before Europeans came to stay
By the early 1600s, hunter-gatherers at the continent’s southern tip adopted horses left behind by colonial newcomers, new finds suggest.
- Health & Medicine
The first CRISPR therapy approved in the U.S. will treat sickle cell disease
In the world’s first CRISPR-based treatment, genetic tweaks to red blood cells aim to help people with the often debilitating disease.
- Neuroscience
Electrical brain implants may help patients with severe brain injuries
After deep brain stimulation, five patients with severe brain injuries improved their scores on a test of cognitive function.
- Planetary Science
Giant polygon rock patterns may be buried deep below Mars’ surface
A Chinese rover used radar to reveal long-buried terrain that might hint that Mars’ equator was once much colder and wetter.
- Archaeology
A mysterious ancient grave with a sword and mirror belonged to a woman
The items hint that she fought in or helped plan raids and defensive actions in what’s now southwestern England about 2,000 years ago, scientists speculate.
- Climate
A new UN report lays out an ethical framework for climate engineering
The report’s release, which coincides with COP28, weighs the ethics of using technological interventions to mitigate climate change.
