Science
Scientific discoveries and research
Germany's 15-year-olds post lowest PISA results since testing began 25 years ago
The PISA study regularly assesses 15-year-olds' ability to understand and solve real-life problems in reading, mathematics and science toward the end of their c...
Researchers rewire ribosomes to specialize in one protein
Every cell relies on ribosomes, the molecular machines that read genetic instructions and use them to assemble proteins. A cell needs thousands of types of prot...
When disaster strikes, what happens to our pets?
As large-scale disasters—including earthquakes, torrential rains, typhoons and wildfires—become increasingly frequent, ensuring that pets as well as their owner...
Tiny molecular rings open new ways for designing better medicines
Cyclopropanes are organic chemistry's smallest rings. Three carbon atoms are joined in a triangle, creating a compact and unusually strained structure. Despite—...
Prehistoric builders hauled 25-tonne stones at least 18 km to build iconic Devil's Arrows
New research has revealed that ancient builders deliberately transported enormous 25-tonne stones across at least 18 kilometers (11 miles) to build Britain's ta...
Untangling the meta-biomaterial puzzle one property at a time
From repairing damaged tissues to developing better implants, many medical developments depend on materials that can mimic the complex properties of human tissu...
A new mission could rendezvous with Halley's Comet in 2061
Halley's Comet captures the imagination in a way that few other astronomical objects do. When it last made its approach toward the sun (admittedly when this aut...
Grandchildren repay childhood care by supporting ailing grandparents in Hong Kong
As Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's population ages at one of the fastest rates in the world, demand for family elder care increases daily. To understa...
Did wildfires help spark the invention of pottery?
A new study suggests that a period of intense fires and landscape upheaval in the ancient southern Levant may have helped create the conditions that led Neolith...
Sparse-data method estimates sea surface temperatures 40% more accurately than conventional approach
Researchers have developed a method for extrapolating sea surface temperatures from sparse data that is significantly more accurate than other commonly used com...
Portugal's Pinhal Interior shows why fire and floods are part of the same cycle
Across southern Europe, increasingly extreme heat, wildfire and intense rainfall are forcing planners to consider how one event can alter the risk of the next....
Why does microwaving fish smell so bad?
The work break room can be a place of rest, gossip, fun or recovery. But it can also be a cause for complaint when yesterday's fish dinner becomes a smelly micr...