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Planetary Science

Minisatellites could detect dangerous asteroids, researchers propose

Five tiny telescopes orbiting the sun could provide early warning for an Earth-bound asteroid, though other researchers disagree.

Environment

Five years on, Deepwater Horizon oil spill’s impact lingers

Five years after the Gulf of Mexico’s largest disaster, researchers are still studying its ecological impact and struggling to learn the fate of most of the spilled oil.

Particle Physics

Exotic particle turns out to be quark molecule

Subatomic particles made of quarks can bind together to form molecules, according to a computer simulation of a long-studied mysterious particle.

Earth

Spot the northern lights with Aurorasaurus

Crowdsourced Aurorasaurus project uses Twitter to track the northern lights.

Climate

Fewer cold snaps in the forecast

Rapid Arctic warming will reduce the frequency of cold snaps throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere, new research suggests.

Health & Medicine

Early birth control study probed effectiveness of pill

A 1960s study probed birth control pills’ effectiveness for women. Researchers are still trying to make a pill for men.

Astronomy

Fountains of spewing gas provide look at megastar formation

Fountains of gas erupt from a young massive star, giving astronomers a play-by-play on how stellar heavyweights form.

Anthropology

Footprints offer clues about daily hominid life

Early male members of the human genus spent a lot of time together by the water, as their footprints attest.

Neuroscience

Rats can navigate mazes, even when blind

Blind rats can learn to navigate with a compass and microchip prosthetic wired into their brains. Similar devices may one day help humans have super senses.

Animals

Fossilized seashells’ true colors revealed

To the naked eye, fossilized seashells lack the colorful patterns of their living counterparts. But ultraviolet light can reveal some of their unique hues.

Health & Medicine

A more accurate prenatal test to predict Down syndrome

A test to detect genetic problems such as Down syndrome examines a baby’s DNA in the mother’s blood and may limit the need for more invasive screening.

Anthropology

Kennewick Man’s bones reveal his diet

Pacific Northwest man who lived 9,000 years ago ate from an almost entirely seafood menu, a new analysis finds.