News

  1. Paleontology

    First Family’s last stand

    New evidence indicates that about 3.2 million years ago, at least 17 Australopithecus afarensis individuals were killed at the same time by large predators at an eastern African site.

    By Bruce Bower
  2. Astronomy

    Fast-track planet

    Astronomers have found a planet that's the closest yet known to its parent star, whipping around the star every 28.5 hours.

    By Ron Cowen

  3. Second cold-sensing protein found

    Researchers have found a second mammalian cell-surface protein that enables nerve cells to recognize cold temperatures.

    By John Travis
  4. Animals

    Ballistic defecation: Hiding, not hygiene

    Evading predators may be the big factor driving certain caterpillars to shoot their waste pellets great distances.