Science
Scientific discoveries and research
JWST discovers that Chariklo's invisible rings are changing
Until just over a decade ago, ring systems were thought to be exclusive to the giant planets of the solar system, such as Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. H...
Decades-old DNA mystery solved after strands are captured zipping together for the first time
Researchers have captured the moment two DNA molecules zip together, overcoming their identical negative charges to pair up and revealing a mechanism that has p...
Liquid gold: Could we turn our urine into fertilizer?
For thousands of years, human urine has had real value. After our bodies absorb nutrients from our food, they excrete the rest—mainly via urine. An adult produc...
Survey shows public confidence in Fauci declines since spring but still exceeds RFK Jr.
Americans' confidence in Dr. Anthony Fauci as a source of trustworthy public health information declined over the four months from April to August 2026 in a sur...
The Anthropocene was rejected as a geological epoch—but the idea is still changing how we see the world
The Anthropocene became part of the zeitgeist after Nobel laureate Paul Crutzen launched the idea in 2000. This is the notion that a crescendo of human impacts...
The surprising place where giant dinosaurs incubated their eggs
Finding a fossilized dinosaur egg is exceptionally rare, but finding a stash of more than 250 shell fragments in the chilly southern reaches of the planet is ev...
When benefit corporations get certified, is it 'greenwashing' in stereo?
The term "benefit corporation" is becoming increasingly familiar as a label for companies with a hybrid commitment to the social good and profit-making. Interes...
Tiny 2D cracks creep through materials before triggering sudden fracture, experiments reveal
We have all seen something suddenly break: a phone screen cracks, a plastic object snaps or a piece of glass shatters. To our eyes, the failure seems to happen...
The 'costly son' hypothesis: Why bigger sons may make births riskier across species
A new comparative review, published in The Anatomical Record, examines factors that may lead to birth complications among humans and other mammals. The study su...
Taking the sting out of fire ants with genomics
Fire ants have earned their reputation as one of Australia's most damaging invasive pests. From ruined picnics to serious impacts on agriculture, biodiversity a...
Layer-based design offers new route to topological magnets
Topological quantum materials combine unusual electronic states with properties such as magnetism or superconductivity, offering possibilities for future electr...
Forever chemicals break apart into fluoride under UV treatment, revealing a cleanup roadmap
UC Riverside environmental engineers have identified key chemical reactions that occur when ultraviolet light is used to destroy "forever chemical" pollutants i...