All Stories
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Paleontology
In the wake of history’s deadliest mass extinction, ocean life may have flourished
Ocean life may have recovered in just a million years after the Permian-Triassic mass extinction, fossils from South China suggest.
By Nikk Ogasa -
Life
Orca moms baby their adult sons. That favoritism pays off — eventually
By sharing fish with their adult sons, orca moms may skimp on nutrition, cutting their chances of more offspring but boosting the odds for grandwhales.
By Susan Milius -
Health & Medicine
How fingerprints form was a mystery — until now
A theory proposed by British mathematician Alan Turing in the 1950s helps explain how fingerprint patterns such as arches and whorls arise.
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Astronomy
The Kuiper Belt’s dwarf planet Quaoar hosts an impossible ring
Quaoar’s ring lies outside the Roche limit, an imaginary line beyond which rings aren’t thought to be stable.
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Microbes
Some ‘friendly’ bacteria backstab their algal pals. Now we know why
The friendly relationship between Emiliana huxleyi and Roseobacter turns deadly when the bacteria get a whiff of the algae’s aging-related chemicals.
By Elise Cutts -
Physics
Physicists stored data in quantum holograms made of twisted light
Light that travels in corkscrew-like paths provides a way to make holograms that store large amounts of data in ultrasecure packages.
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Life
Mammals that live in groups may live longer, longevity research suggests
An analysis of nearly 1,000 mammal species reveals that the evolution of mammals’ social lives and life spans could be linked.
By Jake Buehler -
Earth
What to know about Turkey’s recent devastating earthquake
Science News spoke with U.S. Geological Survey seismologist Susan Hough about the fatal February 6 earthquake near the Turkey-Syria border
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Animals
Fish can recognize themselves in photos, further evidence they may be self-aware
Cleaner fish recognize themselves in mirrors and photos, suggesting that far more animals may be self-aware than previously thought.
By Betsy Mason -
Science & Society
Many plans for green infrastructure risk leaving vulnerable people out
Green infrastructure is one way to help combat climate hazards like flooding. But without equitable planning, only some communities will benefit.
By Jude Coleman -
Science & Society
We prioritize family over self, and that has real-world implications
Two studies show how family bonds improve personal and mental health, suggesting policy makers should shift away from individualistic mindsets.
By Sujata Gupta