News in Brief

  1. Neuroscience

    More brain differences seen between girls, boys with ADHD

    ADHD looks different in the cerebellums of girls and boys with the condition.

    By Laurel Hamers
  2. Planetary Science

    Extreme gas loss dried out Mars, MAVEN data suggest

    Over the planet’s history, the Martian atmosphere has lost 66 percent of its argon and a majority of its carbon dioxide, according to data from NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft.

    By Ashley Yeager
  3. Oceans

    Thinning ice creates undersea Arctic greenhouses

    Arctic sea ice thinned by climate change increasingly produces conditions favorable for phytoplankton blooms in the waters below, new research suggests.

    By Thomas Sumner
  4. Neuroscience

    Sarcasm looks the same in the brain whether it’s words or emoji

    Sarcasm via winking emoji affects the brain like verbal irony does.

    By Laurel Hamers
  5. Neuroscience

    Math-anxious brains tackle simple problems differently

    An fMRI study found more variable brain activity in people who get nervous about math problems.

    By Laurel Hamers
  6. Archaeology

    Palace remains in Mexico point to ancient rise of centralized power

    An ancient royal structure gets new life in southern Mexico.

    By Bruce Bower
  7. Astronomy

    Close pass by sun didn’t radically alter comet 67P’s landscape

    Landslides on comet 67P shot plumes of dust into space, but changes like these might not radically alter the landscape of the comet.

    By Ashley Yeager
  8. Life

    Life on Earth may have begun as dividing droplets

    Chemical droplets could split and reproduce in the presence of an energy source, new computer simulations suggest.

    By Emily Conover
  9. Physics

    Single-atom magnets store bits of data

    Scientists read and write data by harnessing the magnetic properties of holmium atoms.

    By Emily Conover
  10. Astronomy

    Saturn’s moon Pan looks like ravioli

    Photographs taken this week by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft provide a closer view of Saturn’s small moon Pan, which resembles ravioli.

    By Helen Thompson
  11. Genetics

    Scientists move closer to building synthetic yeast from scratch

    Scientists have created five more synthetic yeast chromosomes.

    By Laurel Hamers
  12. Archaeology

    Ancient dental plaque tells tales of Neandertal diet and disease

    Researchers have reconstructed the diet and disease history of ancient Neandertals.

    By Helen Thompson