All Stories
- Health & Medicine
Zika’s role as a cause of severe birth defects confirmed
A new analysis from the Centers for Disease control and Prevention confirms that Zika virus infection causes microcephaly and other severe birth defects.
- Quantum Physics
Gamers outperform computer at quantum task
Quantum mechanics may be weird, but a new video game shows that human intuition can still best computers at quantum tasks.
- Neuroscience
Spinal cord work-around reanimates paralyzed hand
A neural prosthesis can bypass a severed spinal cord, allowing a paralyzed hand to once again move.
- Climate
Pollen becoming bee junk food as CO2 rises
Rising CO2 lowers protein content in pollen, threatening nutrition for bees.
- Astronomy
Kepler telescope readies for new mission after communications scare
The Kepler space telescope has recovered from going into emergency mode and is now ready for its next planet-hunting mission.
- Plants
New species of tumbleweed is just as bad as its parents
Two species of invasive tumbleweeds hybridized into a third. A new study finds it probably will be invasive, too.
- Genetics
Some people are resistant to genetic disease
People who should have genetic diseases but don’t may point to new treatments.
- Earth
Most diamonds share a common origin story
Most diamonds form from fluids deep inside Earth’s interior that contain carbonate compounds, new research suggests.
- Health & Medicine
This week in Zika: New mouse model, virus vs. placenta, nerve insulation loss
In three new papers, scientists present a tool for studying Zika, strike down a theory of infection and offer a broad look at what the virus does to the brain.
- Genetics
Researchers edit genes in human embryos for second time
Researchers in China deploy CRISPR to alter genes in human embryos again — this time to make cells HIV-resistant.
- Health & Medicine
A sugar can melt away cholesterol
A sugar called cyclodextrin removes cholesterol from hardened arteries in mouse studies.
- Physics
Turning water to steam, no boiling required
A new material can convert water into steam with sunlight alone, and could be useful for making fresh water from salty.
