Physics
‘Void’ dives into physics of nothingness
In modern physics, emptiness is elusive and difficult to define, a new book shows.
Reviews & Previews
Science Visualized
Astronomy
Surprising number of meteoroids hit moon’s surface
A new analysis of lunar images reveals over 200 new craters and about 47,000 undiscovered “splotches” on the moon.
Notebook
Earth
There’s a new way to stop an earthquake: put a volcano in its path
An earthquake rupturing along a fault in Japan was blockaded by the magma chamber below the Mount Aso volcano, researchers propose.
Features
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Lichens are an early warning system for forest health
Lichens, fascinating mosaics of fungi and algae or cyanobacteria, are made for sensing environmental change.
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Dinosaurs may have used color as camouflage
Fossilized pigments could paint a vivid picture of a dinosaur’s life.
More Stories from the November 26, 2016 issue
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ArchaeologyWild monkeys throw curve at stone-tool making’s origins
Monkeys that make sharp-edged stones raise questions about evolution of stone tool production.
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NeuroscienceMice smell, share each other’s pain
Pain can jump from one mouse to another, presumably through chemicals detected by the nose.
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PaleontologyAncient armored fish revises early history of jaws
The fossil of a 423-million-year-old armored fish from China suggests that the jaws of all modern land vertebrates and bony fish originated in a bizarre group of animals called placoderms.
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LifeVirus triggers immune proteins to aid enemy
Virus-fighting proteins in the immune system can sometimes help out their targets instead.
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ClimateWanted: New ways to chill air conditioners, fridges
A new amendment to the Montreal Protocol will phase out potent greenhouse gases currently used in air conditioners and refrigerators, prompting a hunt for eco-friendly alternatives.
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PhysicsPhysicists find atomic nucleus with a ‘bubble’ in the middle
Silicon-34 has an unusually small number of protons in its center.
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NeuroscienceFrequent liars show less activity in key brain structure
Brain activity changed as people lied more, a new study finds.
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GeneticsHIV came to NYC at least a decade before virus ID’d
DNA analysis of early viral strains tracks U.S. debut to early ’70s
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ClimateClimate change shifts how long ants hang on to coveted real estate
Simulated climate warming reveals a new pattern in turnover of ant nests.
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GeneticsAncient hookups gave chimps a smidge of bonobo DNA
Genetic evidence suggests bonobos and chimpanzees interbred after becoming separate species.
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LifeScientists need to redraw picture of cell’s biggest organelle
A close-up view of the cell’s endoplasmic reticulum reveals a different structure.
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PsychologyLearning curve not so smooth
Preschoolers tend to reach a milestone of social thinking after months of fits and starts.
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PaleontologyEarly birds could achieve liftoff
Early birds and other flying dinosaurs had the strong legs and wing speed needed to launch into the air directly from the ground, researchers argue.
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PaleontologyPicture of primate common ancestor coming into focus
A new family tree analysis predicts behavior of primate common ancestor.
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PaleontologyFirst known fossilized dinosaur brain unearthed, scientists claim
A dinosaur fossil that preserves brain tissue has been discovered for the first time, researchers announce.
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GeneticsGene gives mice and chipmunks their pinstripes
A recycled regulator paints on rodents’ light stripes.
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ArchaeologyPeople settled Australia’s rugged interior surprisingly early
Ancient colonists Down Under crossed the continent not long after arriving around 50,000 years ago.
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GeneticsCancer mutation patterns differ in smokers, nonsmokers
The DNA of smokers shows more damage than the DNA of nonsmokers who have the same kind of cancer.
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TechNew technique shows cells’ molecules in color
A new electron microscopy technique reveals cellular details in multicolor
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Particle PhysicsMuon surplus leaves physicists searching for answers
A glut of muons shows up in particle showers in the atmosphere.
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Planetary ScienceX-ray mystery shrouds Pluto
Chandra telescope detects seven X-ray photons coming from Pluto, suggesting that the solar wind runs into a tail of gas streaming from the dwarf planet.
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AnimalsAn echidna’s to-do list: Sleep. Eat. Dig up Australia.
Short-beaked echidna’s to-do list looks good for a continent losing other digging mammals.
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Health & MedicineCDC sounds alarm on STDs
The combined reported cases of three common sexually transmitted diseases reached a historic peak in 2015, a new CDC report says.
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Health & Medicine50 years ago, fluoridation was promoted as a bone protector
In 1966, scientists hoped fluoride might protect adult bone health. While the results broke down over time, the benefits for teeth remain clear.
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AstronomyInteractive map reveals hidden details of the Milky Way
Gleamoscope, an interactive map, lets you explore the Milky Way galaxy and the nearby universe in many different electromagnetic frequencies.
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LifeWebsite turns Alzheimer’s research into a game
A new game assists Alzheimer’s researchers in the hunt for stalled blood vessels in the brains of mice.
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TechDouble-charging material makes a run in the sun extra powerful
Textile stores energy from the sun and a person’s movements to power devices.
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GeneticsGenetic variant protects against rash of autoimmune diseases
A natural tweak in the TYK2 protein strikes a balance between weak and overactive immune systems.
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Health & MedicineNose cells fix knee cartilage
A small clinical trial suggests that using nose cells to patch knee cartilage could be a viable treatment for injuries.
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AstronomyUranus moon count: 27 and rising
Two more moons might be lurking around Uranus, causing material in the planet’s rings to clump up, Voyager 2 data suggest.