Science
Scientific discoveries and research
Light-controlled switches offer precise regulation of ion channels in living cells
Researchers at Leipzig University and TU Dresden have succeeded in developing biological switches that can selectively turn ion channels on and off using light...
How microbial fossils illuminate life's origins
More than 3.5 billion years ago, the Earth was not the hospitable world we know today. The atmosphere lacked oxygen, the seas were acidic and rich in iron, and...
For every dollar we spend protecting nature, we spend $30 destroying it: Report
For every US$1 the world invests in protecting nature, it spends US$30 on destroying it. This stark imbalance is the central finding of a new UN Environment Pro...
2D material offers a solution to long-standing obstacle in diamond-based circuits
Beyond their sparkle, diamonds have hidden talents. They shed heat better than any material, tolerate extreme temperatures and radiation, and handle high voltag...
Questions are being raised about microplastics studies—here's what's solid science and what isn't
Over the past few years, studies have suggested that plastic particles from bottles, food packaging and waste have been detected in human blood, lungs, placenta...
Is AI hurting your ability to think? How to reclaim your brain
The retirement of West Midlands police chief Craig Guildford is a wake-up call for those of us using artificial intelligence (AI) tools at work and in our perso...
Halley's Comet wrongly named: 11th-century English monk predates British astronomer
The British astronomer and mathematician Edmond Halley was not, after all, the first to understand the cycle of the comet that now bears his name. This is shown...
Multiwavelength variability reveals dust structure in quasars
A research team has investigated quasar variability by tracking optical to mid-infrared (MIR) wavelengths of variability information. This multiband joint analy...
Is AI a bubble that might burst?
It is hard to imagine that anyone could have missed the fact that such economic crashes occur from time to time—crashes that could have terrible consequences fo...
Astrophysicists discover largest sulfur-containing molecular compound in space
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE), in collaboration with astrophysicists from the Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), CSIC-I...
Florida reefs offer multimillion-dollar flood protection—if they survive
It's no secret that Florida's iconic coral reefs are in trouble. Repeated body blows from hurricanes, pollution, disease, climate change—and a near-knockout pun...
Study finds fisheries management—not predator recovery—drives catch levels in the North Sea
A new research study found that well-managed fisheries can support the recovery of large marine predators such as seals and porpoises, showing that conservation...