Science
Scientific discoveries and research
Paleontologists uncover a new Spinosaurus species by following a clue from a decades‑old book into the Sahara Desert
My fixation on a small, desolate locale in the heart of the Sahara Desert started with a single line buried in a 630-page tome in French about the rocks of the...
Sugar-processing enzyme has a hidden second job—controlling when cells divide
A metabolic enzyme studied for over seven decades has a hidden second function—it can unwind RNA and promote cell cycle progression, an additional function beyo...
Whale song remix: Study shows that humpbacks shift pitch when a neighbor joins in
A humpback whale alters the pitch of its song when joined by a neighboring singer, a finding that opens a new chapter in the ongoing effort to understand whale...
Ocean bacteria team up to break down biodegradable plastic
Biodegradable plastics could help alleviate the plastic waste crisis that is polluting the environment and harming our health. But how long plastics take to deg...
How big data is transforming what we know about the universe
Science in the modern era is increasingly reliant on enormous datasets and automated analysis. In astronomy, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Sp...
Sea turtles, shrinking beaches and rising seas: Study finds nesting sites running out of room
Sandy beaches account for approximately a third of the world's ice-free coastlines. These sandy shorelines are responsible for sediment and water retention, pro...
Building a reference manual for how cells connect with each other
Every multicellular organism, from tiny worms to humans, elephants, and whales, needs a way for their cells to connect with each other to form tissues, organs,...
ISS study identifies thresholds for muscle atrophy and fiber changes in reduced gravity
It's well known that spaceflight causes muscle atrophy and other biological changes in reduced gravity, and especially in near-zero gravity (microgravity) envir...
Failing to succeed: Why post‑secondary students need more room to mess up
University students today face a confusing mix of messages about failure. They hear from a variety of sources, sometimes including educational institutions, tha...
Coastal ocean chemistry now substantially shaped by humans
A global analysis of more than 2,300 seawater samples from more than 20 field studies around the globe indicates that human-made chemicals make up a significant...
The seven hour explosion nobody could explain
Gamma-ray bursts are the most violent explosions in the universe. In a fraction of a second, they can release more energy than the sun will emit across its enti...
Turning mosquitoes into flying vaccine carriers to protect against bat-borne viruses
Bats are reservoirs for several zoonotic viruses, such as Ebola and coronaviruses. These pathogens can spread to humans through direct contact with the flying m...