In the July 7 SN: The impact hypothesis that won’t die, CAR-T cell therapy upgrades, bad news for Antarctica, a quoll conundrum, honeybees know zero, how volcanoes kill, Jupiter’s polar lightning and more.

July 7, 2018

Cover: Eye of Science/Science Source; Right: C. LIPO

Archives

Feature

Why won’t this debate about an ancient cold snap die?

Critics are still unconvinced that a comet caused a mysterious cold snap 12,800 years ago.

2 weeks ago

Climate,
Earth,
Paleontology
Feature

How to make CAR-T cell therapies for cancer safer and more effective

CAR-T cell therapy was approved by the FDA in late 2017. Now, scientists are working to tame the cancer treatment’s side effects.

2 weeks ago

Cancer,
Health,
Clinical Trials
News

Antarctica has lost about 3 trillion metric tons of ice since 1992

Antarctica’s rate of ice loss has sped up since 1992 — mostly in the last five years, raising global sea level by almost 8 millimeters on average.

1 month ago

Climate,
Earth,
Oceans
Science Visualized

Here’s a look at the world’s deadliest volcanoes — and the ways they kill

Scientists gathered data on nearly 280,000 global volcano deaths from 1500 to 2017 and sorted fatalities by cause of death, such as lava flows or gas.

1 month ago

Earth,
Health
News

Phone apps are helping scientists track suicidal thoughts in real time

Researchers are using smartphones to tap into the ups and downs of suicidal thinking that occur over hours and days, hoping to help prevent suicides.

4 weeks ago

Psychology,
Mental Health
News

The most ancient African baobabs are dying and no one knows why

Scientists aren’t sure what’s killing the oldest African baobabs, nine of which have lost big chunks or died in the last 13 years.

4 weeks ago

Plants
Introducing

These newfound frogs have been trapped in amber for 99 million years

Trapped in amber, 99-million-year-old frog fossils reveal the amphibians lived in a wet, tropical climate.

1 month ago

Paleontology,
Ecology,
Animals
Reviews & Previews

The study of human heredity got its start in insane asylums

‘Genetics in the Madhouse’ reveals how human heredity research began as a statistical science in 19th century insane asylums.

2 weeks ago

Genetics,
History of Science,
Mental Health,
Numbers
News

Bees join an exclusive crew of animals that get the concept of zero

Honeybees can pass a test of ranking ‘nothing’ as less than one.

1 month ago

Animals,
Neuroscience
News

Here’s what narwhals sound like underwater

Scientists eavesdropped while narwhals clicked and buzzed. The work could help pinpoint how the whales may react to more human noise in the Arctic.

1 month ago

Animals,
Oceans,
Conservation