Particle Physics
Dark matter helped destroy the dinosaurs, physicist posits
In ‘Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs,’ Lisa Randall finds connections between particle physics, cosmology, geology and paleontology.
Reviews & Previews
Science Visualized
Physics
Halo of light crowns Antarctica
Ice crystals in the air bend sunlight into a ring over a research base in eastern Antarctica.
Notebook
Earth
Humankind’s water use greater than thought
Humans’ global water footprint increases when accounting for water losses from water management practices.
Features
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As suicide rates rise, researchers separate thoughts from actions
Advances in suicide research and treatment may depend on separating thoughts from acts.
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The science of avalanches
High-tech instruments are helping researchers study how temperature can change the character — and danger — of an avalanche
More Stories from the January 9, 2016 issue
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Health & MedicineA good diet for you may be bad for me
Eating the same foods can produce very different reactions in people.
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AnimalsSnakes evolved from burrowing ancestor, new data suggest
A new X-ray analysis of inner ears is the latest to weigh in on whether modern snakes descended from a burrowing or a swimming reptile.
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Quantum PhysicsSpooky quantum connection quantified for multiple particles
Physicists have measured quantum entanglement between several particles rather than just two.
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ClimateWarming culprit CO2 has a cool side — and it’s in Antarctica
Rising CO2 levels above central Antarctica cause cooling, not warming, new research suggests. The odd effect results from surface temperatures that are colder than the overlying stratosphere.
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Chemistry‘Q-carbon’ may offer quick route to diamonds
Q-carbon might be the third form of solid carbon, but some scientists have doubts.
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Health & MedicineHigh-potency pot smokers show brain-fiber damage
People who smoke potent pot had signs of damage in a brain communication link.
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PhysicsThere’s no hiding from new camera
A new camera tracks objects hidden around a corner by detecting light echoes, similar to the way bats use sound to find prey.
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Planetary ScienceJapanese spacecraft reaches Venus — five years late
The Japanese Space Agency’s Akatsuki spacecraft succeeded at a second attempt at orbiting Venus, five years after an engine failure prevented its intended mission.
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Planetary ScienceSalty source of Ceres’ mysterious bright spots found
Bright spots on Ceres contain salts from a possible subsurface layer of ice while ammonia-rich minerals hint at building blocks incorporated from the far outer solar system.
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GeneticsLiberia’s Ebola outbreak largely traced to one source
Ebola’s spread and evolution in Liberia echoes patterns seen in Sierra Leone.
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EarthGooey rock in mantle thickens 1,000 kilometers down
Gravitational tugs provide an unprecedented peek into the structure of Earth’s mantle and reveal a sudden increase in viscosity roughly 1,000 kilometers below ground.
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Climate195 nations approve historic climate accord
The Paris climate talks end with delegates from 195 nations releasing a hard-fought agreement to curb climate change and limit warming to 2 degrees Celsius.
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LifeCancer cells get help migrating through the body
Helper cells may give cancer a straight shot to spread through the body.
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Particle PhysicsLHC restart provides tantalizing hints of a possible new particle
The first comprehensive analyses of the recently restarted Large Hadron Collider yields no clear-cut discoveries but at least one intriguing hint of a new particle.
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LifeIn the body, cells move like flocks of birds or schools of fish
Cells move in groups similarly to flocks of birds and schools of fish
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LifeUpending daily rhythm triggers fat cell growth
Constant production of stress hormone spurs fat growth.
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Health & Medicine50 years ago, a promising agent pulled
DMSO was promised to cure everything from headache to the common cold. But human testing stopped in 1965.
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PhysicsAircraft industry could take tips from penguins
Tiny grooves and an oily sheath prevent water droplets from freezing on the feathers of some penguins.
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AnimalsWhen tarantulas grow blue hair
Azure coloring is surprisingly common in the spiders, though they themselves are colorblind.
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MicrobesGet to know your microbes at ‘The Secret World Inside You’
The American Museum of Natural History’s newest exhibit rehabilitates bacteria’s bad reputation and introduces visitors to the microbiome.
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AnimalsGut bacteria’s compounds bring cockroaches together
German cockroaches may rely on gut bacteria to help attract fellow roaches.
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NeuroscienceEyes hard at work can make ears go temporarily deaf
When challenged with a tough visual task, people are less likely to perceive a tone, suggesting that perceptual overload can jump between senses.
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Health & MedicineTaking antiviral drug ‘on demand’ can guard against HIV
The antiviral drug Truvada taken before and after sex cuts HIV transmission rates.