All Stories
- Health & Medicine
Here are some of the biggest medical advances in 2023
The first CRISPR gene-editing therapy, a new Alzheimer’s drug and RSV vaccines were among the big developments in medicine this year.
- Astronomy
A bar of stars at the center of the Milky Way looks surprisingly young
The ages and locations of metal-rich stars in the galaxy suggest the Milky Way’s central bar finished forming just a few billion years ago.
- Animals
A new species of hedgehog stands out for its short spikes
At first, the eastern forest hedgehog was mistaken for its cousin. Dental and DNA analyses eventually confirmed the critter is a species new to science.
- Health & Medicine
Why weight-loss drugs became more popular than ever this year
Ozempic and related drugs can drastically reduce body weight, and more potent versions are on the way. But questions remain about who should take them.
- Animals
Why do some lizards and snakes have horns?
These reptiles’ horns can be an asset or a liability. A new study looks at the evolutionary roots of this wild headgear.
- Health & Medicine
A gene editing technique shows promise for lowering LDL cholesterol
In a trial of 10 people with familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic medicine reduced levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood by up to 55 percent.
- Space
The James Webb telescope took some stunning images in 2023
Star nurseries. Planets. Supernova remnants. Here’s a look at some of this year’s stellar JWST images. And the mission is still just getting started.
- Climate
COP28 is making headlines. Here’s why the focus on methane matters
Here’s one takeaway from COP28: Deep cuts to methane are essential to meet the Paris Agreement goals. That’s still possible.
- Artificial Intelligence
Generative AI grabbed headlines this year. Here’s why and what’s next
Prominent artificial intelligence researcher Melanie Mitchell explains why generative AI matters and looks ahead to the technology’s future.
- Astronomy
How tiny red stars can test ideas about the origin of life
A survey of ultracool dwarf stars finds they don’t emit enough UV light to kick-start life, but they could reveal other ways for life to get going.
- Anthropology
Spanish horses joined Indigenous South Americans’ societies long before Europeans came to stay
By the early 1600s, hunter-gatherers at the continent’s southern tip adopted horses left behind by colonial newcomers, new finds suggest.
- Health & Medicine
The first CRISPR therapy approved in the U.S. will treat sickle cell disease
In the world’s first CRISPR-based treatment, genetic tweaks to red blood cells aim to help people with the often debilitating disease.
