Health & Medicine
How a bacterial toxin linked to colon cancer messes with DNA
A closeup look at colibactin’s structure reveals chemical motifs that guide its mutation-wreaking “warheads” to specific stretches of DNA.
All Topics
Chemistry
Earth
Earth
An underwater volcano off Oregon didn’t erupt in 2025 after all. Why not?
Data from Axial, the most-monitored underwater volcano, are helping geophysicists hone eruption predictions. For Axial, 2026 is their next bet.
Humans
Health & Medicine
These medical breakthroughs and advances gave patients new hope in 2025
Advances delivered what may feel like medical miracles, including the first bladder transplant, a lifesaving personalized gene therapy and more.
Life
Paleontology
These fossil finds shed new light on the past in 2025
The year's top paleontological wonders ranged from a 540-million-year-old penis worm to a decades-old rodent impression.
Math
Physics
There’s math behind this maddening golf mishap
Math and physics explain the anguish of a golf ball that zings around the rim of the hole instead of falling in.
Physics
Physics
Crush explores how gravity shapes life as we know it
James Riordan’s new book will help readers wrap their heads around this mysterious, fundamental force of nature.
Science & Society
Health & Medicine
Research hailing the benefits of the COVID-19 shot keeps coming
There was more good health news about the COVID-19 vaccine for infants, kids and adults in December. There’s still time to get the shot this winter.
Space
Astronomy
Against the odds, a burbling lava planet retains an atmosphere
The James Webb Space Telescope detected an atmosphere on a lava-covered exoplanet, evidence that small planets close to stars can have atmospheres.
Tech
Artificial Intelligence
A quantum trick helps trim bloated AI models
Machine learning techniques that make use of tensor networks could manipulate data more efficiently and help open the black box of AI models.
