Vol. 192 No. 8
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More Stories from the November 11, 2017 issue

  1. Physics

    Proton size still perplexes despite a new measurement

    Study of hydrogen atoms supports the case for a smaller proton.

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  2. Tech

    New atomic clock is most precise yet

    This next-gen atomic clock ticks at a steady beat, but time will tell just how well it tells time.

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  3. Archaeology

    Europe’s Stone Age fishers used beeswax to make a point

    Late Stone Age Europeans made spears with beeswax adhesive.

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  4. Tech

    Superbugs may meet their match in these nanoparticles

    Quantum dots and antibiotics hit bacteria with a one-two punch.

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  5. Astronomy

    Oddball dwarf planet Haumea has a ring

    The dwarf planet Haumea is now the most distant ringed object spotted in the solar system.

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  6. Health & Medicine

    In many places around the world, obesity in kids is on the rise

    The last 40 years saw a big leap in obesity among children, totaling an estimated 124 million boys and girls in 2016.

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  7. Tech

    Watch this cuttlefish-inspired ‘skin’ morph into a 3-D shape

    New silicone material mimics cephalopod shape-shifting for quick camouflage.

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  8. Astronomy

    Neutron star collision showers the universe with a wealth of discoveries

    A collision of neutron stars was spotted with gravitational waves for the first time. Telescopes captured gamma rays, visible light and more from the smashup.

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  9. Animals

    To understand the origins of pain, ask a flatworm

    A danger-sensing protein responds to hydrogen peroxide in planarians, results that hint at the evolutionary origins of people’s pain sensing.

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  10. Earth

    How volcanoes may have ended the dynasty of Ptolemy and Cleopatra

    Volcanic ash in polar ice reveal a link between eruptions and the timing of revolts in Cleopatra’s Egypt.

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  11. Artificial Intelligence

    The newest AlphaGo mastered the game with no human input

    AlphaGo Zero is the first AI system of its kind to learn the game just by playing against itself.

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  12. Life

    The physics of mosquito takeoffs shows why you don’t feel a thing

    Even when full of blood, mosquitoes use more wing force than leg force to escape a host undetected — clue to why they’re so good at spreading disease.

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  13. Life

    The next wave of bird flu could be worse than ever

    Deadly bird flu can pass between ferrets through the air.

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  14. Genetics

    Doubling up on ‘junk DNA’ helps make us human

    DNA duplicated only in humans may contribute to human traits and disease.

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  15. Genetics

    Mating with Neandertals reintroduced ‘lost’ DNA into modern humans

    Neandertal DNA brought back some old genetic heirlooms to modern humans.

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  16. Genetics

    Inbreeding hurts the next generation’s reproductive success

    Inbreeding has evolutionary consequences for humans.

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  17. Ecosystems

    Invasive species are a growing global threat

    'The Aliens Among Us' describes how invasive species are colonizing — and disrupting — ecosystems worldwide.

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  18. Health & Medicine

    Zika hasn’t been in the news much, but that doesn’t mean it’s gone

    Cases of Zika have dropped as more people become exposed, but the virus will likely emerge again in the future.

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  19. Paleontology

    This giant marsupial was a seasonal migrant

    A new analysis suggests that Diprotodon optatum, a giant plant-eating marsupial that went extinct about 40,000 years ago, migrated long distances, much like today’s zebras and wildebeests.

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  20. Astronomy

    Measured distance within the Milky Way gives clues to what our galaxy looks like

    Astronomers used an old but challenging technique to directly measure the distance to a star on the opposite side of the galaxy for the first time.

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