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Life

‘Sneezing’ plants may spread pathogens to their neighbors

A “surface tension catapult” can fling dewdrops carrying fungal spores from water-repellent leaves.

Health & Medicine

Rotavirus vaccines may lower kids’ chances of getting type 1 diabetes

Vaccination against rotavirus is associated with a reduced incidence of type 1 diabetes in children, according to an analysis of U.S. insurance data.

Neuroscience

Female rats face sex bias too

In neurobiological studies, male lab animals tend to outnumber females, which are considered too hormonal. Scientists say it’s time for that myth to go.

Paleontology

Hyenas roamed the Arctic during the last ice age

Two teeth confirm the idea that hyenas crossed the Bering land bridge into North America, a study finds.

Life

Norovirus close-ups might help fight stomach flu

Detailed views of a common stomach virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea could aid vaccine and disinfectant development.

Particle Physics

Diamond detectors could aid the search for dark matter

Elusive dark matter particles could be spotted when they slam into electrons or atomic nuclei within diamond, scientists say.

Astronomy

Readers boggled by black hole behemoth

Readers had questions about the first image of a black hole and a chytrid fungus.

Science & Society

Science hasn’t managed to span the diagnosis gap

Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses how scientists are devising better diagnostic tools to detect diseases.

Earth

Is a long-dormant Russian volcano waking up? It’s complicated

Scientists debate how to interpret seismic activity near Bolshaya Udina on the remote Kamchatka Peninsula.

Astronomy

Table salt may be hiding in Europa’s underground sea

Observations of Europa by the Hubble Space Telescope suggest that the moon’s ice-covered ocean may hold sodium chloride, or common table salt.

Ecosystems

Many of the world’s rivers are flush with dangerous levels of antibiotics

Antibiotic pollution can fuel drug resistance in microbes. A global survey of rivers finds unsafe levels of antibiotics in 16 percent of sites.

Astronomy

Massive superflares have been seen erupting from stars like the sun

Older stars, like the sun, can still send out massive bursts of energy that can be seen from light-years away.