All Stories
- Science & Society
Murray Gell-Mann gave structure to the subatomic world
Best known for his quarks, the preeminent theoretical physicist was also a complexity pioneer
- Animals
Shy fish no bigger than a pinkie provide much of the food in coral reefs
More than half of the fish flesh that predators in coral reefs eat comes from tiny, hard-to-spot species.
- Math
Mathematicians report possible progress on proving the Riemann hypothesis
A new study advances one strategy in the quest to solve the notoriously difficult problem, which is still stumping researchers after 160 years.
- Health & Medicine
Being bilingual is great. But it may not boost some brain functions
A large study of U.S. bilingual children didn’t turn up obvious benefits in abilities to ignore distractions or switch quickly between tasks.
- Physics
Big black holes can settle in the outskirts of small galaxies
Astronomers have found dozens of surprisingly massive black holes far from the centers of their host dwarf galaxies.
- Physics
Spherical flames in space could solve the mystery of soot-free fires
In microgravity, flames are sphere-shaped. Tests of fire on the International Space Station are helping show how gases flow within flames.
- Chemistry
Sweaty, vinegary and sweet odors mingle to make dark chocolate’s smell
Scientists have worked out the chemistry of dark chocolate’s smell and reconstructed the aroma.
- Health & Medicine
Faulty cellular antennae may cause a heart valve disorder
Mitral valve prolapse might be caused by dysfunctional primary cilia meant to signal cells during development.
- Environment
Emissions of a banned ozone-destroying chemical have been traced to China
Since 2013, eastern China has increased its annual emissions of a banned chlorofluorocarbon by about 7,000 metric tons, a study finds.
- Health & Medicine
A cognitive neuroscientist warns that the U.S. justice system harms teen brains
The U.S. justice system holds adolescents to adult standards, and puts young people in situations that harm their development, a researcher argues.
- Plants
Some plants use hairy roots and acid to access nutrients in rock
Shrubs in mountainous areas of Brazil have specialized roots that secrete chemicals to extract phosphorus from rock.
- Animals
Tiger sharks feast on migratory birds that fall out of the sky
Terrestrial birds that fall from the sky during their migration across the Gulf of Mexico can end up in the bellies of tiger sharks.
