Physics
‘Void’ dives into physics of nothingness
In modern physics, emptiness is elusive and difficult to define, a new book shows.
Reviews & Previews
Science Visualized
Astronomy
Surprising number of meteoroids hit moon’s surface
A new analysis of lunar images reveals over 200 new craters and about 47,000 undiscovered “splotches” on the moon.
Notebook
Earth
There’s a new way to stop an earthquake: put a volcano in its path
An earthquake rupturing along a fault in Japan was blockaded by the magma chamber below the Mount Aso volcano, researchers propose.
Features
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Lichens are an early warning system for forest health
Lichens, fascinating mosaics of fungi and algae or cyanobacteria, are made for sensing environmental change.
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Dinosaurs may have used color as camouflage
Fossilized pigments could paint a vivid picture of a dinosaur’s life.
More Stories from the November 26, 2016 issue
- Archaeology
Wild monkeys throw curve at stone-tool making’s origins
Monkeys that make sharp-edged stones raise questions about evolution of stone tool production.
- Neuroscience
Mice smell, share each other’s pain
Pain can jump from one mouse to another, presumably through chemicals detected by the nose.
- Paleontology
Ancient armored fish revises early history of jaws
The fossil of a 423-million-year-old armored fish from China suggests that the jaws of all modern land vertebrates and bony fish originated in a bizarre group of animals called placoderms.
- Life
Virus triggers immune proteins to aid enemy
Virus-fighting proteins in the immune system can sometimes help out their targets instead.
- Climate
Wanted: New ways to chill air conditioners, fridges
A new amendment to the Montreal Protocol will phase out potent greenhouse gases currently used in air conditioners and refrigerators, prompting a hunt for eco-friendly alternatives.
- Physics
Physicists find atomic nucleus with a ‘bubble’ in the middle
Silicon-34 has an unusually small number of protons in its center.
- Neuroscience
Frequent liars show less activity in key brain structure
Brain activity changed as people lied more, a new study finds.
- Genetics
HIV came to NYC at least a decade before virus ID’d
DNA analysis of early viral strains tracks U.S. debut to early ’70s
- Climate
Climate change shifts how long ants hang on to coveted real estate
Simulated climate warming reveals a new pattern in turnover of ant nests.
- Genetics
Ancient hookups gave chimps a smidge of bonobo DNA
Genetic evidence suggests bonobos and chimpanzees interbred after becoming separate species.
- Life
Scientists need to redraw picture of cell’s biggest organelle
A close-up view of the cell’s endoplasmic reticulum reveals a different structure.
- Psychology
Learning curve not so smooth
Preschoolers tend to reach a milestone of social thinking after months of fits and starts.
- Paleontology
Early birds could achieve liftoff
Early birds and other flying dinosaurs had the strong legs and wing speed needed to launch into the air directly from the ground, researchers argue.
- Paleontology
Picture of primate common ancestor coming into focus
A new family tree analysis predicts behavior of primate common ancestor.
- Paleontology
First known fossilized dinosaur brain unearthed, scientists claim
A dinosaur fossil that preserves brain tissue has been discovered for the first time, researchers announce.
- Genetics
Gene gives mice and chipmunks their pinstripes
A recycled regulator paints on rodents’ light stripes.
- Archaeology
People settled Australia’s rugged interior surprisingly early
Ancient colonists Down Under crossed the continent not long after arriving around 50,000 years ago.
- Genetics
Cancer mutation patterns differ in smokers, nonsmokers
The DNA of smokers shows more damage than the DNA of nonsmokers who have the same kind of cancer.
- Tech
New technique shows cells’ molecules in color
A new electron microscopy technique reveals cellular details in multicolor
- Particle Physics
Muon surplus leaves physicists searching for answers
A glut of muons shows up in particle showers in the atmosphere.
- Planetary Science
X-ray mystery shrouds Pluto
Chandra telescope detects seven X-ray photons coming from Pluto, suggesting that the solar wind runs into a tail of gas streaming from the dwarf planet.
- Animals
An echidna’s to-do list: Sleep. Eat. Dig up Australia.
Short-beaked echidna’s to-do list looks good for a continent losing other digging mammals.
- Health & Medicine
CDC sounds alarm on STDs
The combined reported cases of three common sexually transmitted diseases reached a historic peak in 2015, a new CDC report says.
- Health & Medicine
50 years ago, fluoridation was promoted as a bone protector
In 1966, scientists hoped fluoride might protect adult bone health. While the results broke down over time, the benefits for teeth remain clear.
- Astronomy
Interactive map reveals hidden details of the Milky Way
Gleamoscope, an interactive map, lets you explore the Milky Way galaxy and the nearby universe in many different electromagnetic frequencies.
- Life
Website turns Alzheimer’s research into a game
A new game assists Alzheimer’s researchers in the hunt for stalled blood vessels in the brains of mice.
- Tech
Double-charging material makes a run in the sun extra powerful
Textile stores energy from the sun and a person’s movements to power devices.
- Genetics
Genetic variant protects against rash of autoimmune diseases
A natural tweak in the TYK2 protein strikes a balance between weak and overactive immune systems.
- Health & Medicine
Nose cells fix knee cartilage
A small clinical trial suggests that using nose cells to patch knee cartilage could be a viable treatment for injuries.
- Astronomy
Uranus moon count: 27 and rising
Two more moons might be lurking around Uranus, causing material in the planet’s rings to clump up, Voyager 2 data suggest.
