All Stories

  1. Life

    Baby starfish on the hunt whip up whirlpools

    Starfish larvae use hairlike cilia to stir up water whorls and suck prey in close.

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  2. Astronomy

    These 2016 stories could be really big — if they’re true

    These findings would have rocked the scientific world, if only the evidence were more convincing.

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  3. Animals

    World’s largest reindeer population may fall victim to climate change

    Climate change and wolves are driving down the reindeer population in Russia’s Taimyr population.

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  4. Math

    Hidden Figures highlights three black women who were vital to the U.S. space program

    "Hidden Figures" tells the untold story of the "human computers" who were essential to the launch of the U.S. space program.

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  5. Health & Medicine

    Ebola vaccine proves effective

    The Ebola vaccine rVSV-ZEBOV proved effective at stopping the spread of the virus in a clinical trial in West Africa.

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  6. Health & Medicine

    Ebola vaccine proves effective, final trial results show

    The Ebola vaccine rVSV-ZEBOV proved effective at stopping the spread of the virus in a clinical trial in West Africa.

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  7. Ecosystems

    Long-ignored, high-flying arthropods could make up largest land migrations

    Forget birds. 3.5 trillion insects, spiders and mites a year fly over the southern United Kingdom.

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  8. Life

    Ancient enzymes adapted to a cooler Earth to keep life’s chemical reactions going

    Ancient enzymes kept their speed at lower temperatures.

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  9. Neuroscience

    How scientists are hunting for a safer opioid painkiller

    Scientists are sorting through chemical structures, twisting and turning known drugs and exploring new ways to ease pain.

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  10. Animals

    Tales of creatures large and small made news this year

    Scientists filled in the details of some famous evolutionary tales in 2016 — and discovered a few surprises about creatures large and small.

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  11. Health & Medicine

    New blood tests can detect prions

    Blood tests may detect prion disease in people even before onset of symptoms.

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  12. Life

    Force-detecting protein senses when lungs fill with air

    A study in mice pinpoints a force-detecting protein that regulates breathing, previously implicated in touch.

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