News
- Health & Medicine
Fine-scale structure of egg crucial for fertility
Scientists describe the shape of a protein required for conception. These new molecular details will lead to an improved understanding of how sperm and egg unite.
- Earth
Methane even escapes from freezing permafrost
An extended field season reveals that the autumn freeze in the arctic squeezes methane from some high-latitude wetland soils, a match even for summertime methane release.
- Earth
Unveiling hidden craters
Earth is regularly bombarded by small meteorites, but most of the resulting craters are hard to find. A team reports finding one such crater in the forests of west-central Alberta.
- Health & Medicine
Protein found to set the heart’s cadence
Researchers have discovered a molecular metronome that sets the rhythm of the heart and blood pressure.
- Earth
Plate tectonics got an early start
The chemistry of minerals preserved in Australian rocks suggests tectonic activity for Earth’s earliest eon.
- Health & Medicine
Bone density may be determined in the gut
A surprising new connection between the gut and bones may lead to new forms of treatment for human bone diseases such as osteoporosis.
- Earth
Antidepressants make for sad fish
Fish may suffer substantially from even brief encounters with antidepressants, which wastewater releases into river water.
- Health & Medicine
Lifestyle may link depression and heart disease
The association between depression and heart problems could stem from a lack of physical activity and other lifestyle factors.
- Humans
Baby boys may show spatial supremacy
Two new studies suggest that, at 3 to 5 months of age, boys already outperform girls on mental rotation tasks.
- Computing
New theory defines faster MRI
Better equations could improve MRI quality, or even bring quantum computing closer.
- Health & Medicine
Many drug trials never see publication
Results of most drug trials are unreported, inaccessible to clinicians and patients, a new study confirms.
- Animals
Lizard push-ups grab attention
Nearby lizards more likely to get the message if its preceded by push-ups
