Feature
- Life
Lichens are an early warning system for forest health
Lichens, fascinating mosaics of fungi and algae or cyanobacteria, are made for sensing environmental change.
- Tech
For robots, artificial intelligence gets physical
Physical intelligence makes robots able to sense of the world around them.
- Physics
Units of measure are getting a fundamental upgrade
New units based on fundamental properties of the universe will make measurements more precise.
- Genetics
Big biological datasets map life’s networks
Expanding from genomics to multi-omics means stretching data capacity, but it may lead to a future of early diagnosis, personalized medicine and hardy crops.
- Oceans
Reef rehab could help threatened corals make a comeback
Reefs are under threat from rising ocean temperatures. Directed spawning, microfragmenting and selective breeding may help.
- Humans
Animal hybrids may hold clues to Neandertal-human interbreeding
The physical effects of interbreeding among animals may offer clues to Neandertals’ genetic mark on humans.
- Planetary Science
Rock hounds are on the hunt for new carbon minerals
The race is on to find about 140 predicted carbon-based minerals in locations around the world. Map included.
- Science & Society
The SN 10: Meet the scientists making the next big discoveries
Science News spotlights 10 rising scientists who will transform their research fields over the coming decades.
- Life
Aneil Agrawal unites math and mess
Evolutionary geneticist Aneil Agrawal is equally at home with real and hypothetical fruit flies.
- Health & Medicine
Phil Baran finds simple recipes for complex molecules
Chemist Phil Baran draws on artistry and creativity to efficiently synthesize molecules that could improve people's lives.
- Neuroscience
Jessica Cantlon seeks the origins of numerical thinking
Cognitive neuroscientist Jessica Cantlon wants to find out how humans understand numbers and where that understanding comes from.
- Materials Science
Qian Chen makes matter come alive
Materials scientist Qian Chen is coaxing nanomaterials to self-assemble in new and unexpected ways.
