News
- Astronomy
A gas cloud 5,500 times as massive as the sun lurks nearby
At 300 light-years away, the interstellar cloud is the closest of its kind ever found to Earth and the largest apparent single structure in the sky.
- Climate
Losing a key U.S. climate report would hurt future disaster prep
A scientist who worked on the National Climate Assessment explains how stopping work on it may make us more vulnerable to extreme weather disasters.
- Health & Medicine
A man let snakes bite him 202 times. His blood helped create a new antivenom
A new antivenom relies on antibodies from the blood of Tim Friede, who immunized himself against snakebites by injecting increasing doses of venom into his body.
- Psychology
Playing this Minecraft game hints at how we learn in real life
A tailor-made version of Minecraft let researchers look at the success of learning individually or taking cues from others while foraging for fruit.
- Chemistry
Scientists home in on alternatives to ‘forever chemicals’
Bulky molecules mimic some properties of PFAS without their long-lasting chemical bonds and could replace PFAS in some water-repelling applications.
- Psychology
Chess players rely on familiar moves even when the game changes
In chess as in life, people use memory as a shortcut for decision-making. That strategy can backfire when the present doesn’t resemblance the past.
- Health & Medicine
Ozempic and Wegovy ingredient may reverse signs of liver disease
The diabetes and weight loss drug semaglutide reversed liver scarring and inflammation. It’s among several drugs in the works for the condition MASH.
- Animals
The axolotl is endangered in the wild. A discovery offers hope
Introducing captive-bred axolotls to restored and artificial wetlands may be a promising option for the popular pet amphibian.
- Archaeology
A Pueblo tribe recruited scientists to reclaim its ancient American history
DNA supports modern Picuris Pueblo accounts of ancestry going back more than 1,000 years to Chaco Canyon society.
- Paleontology
These crocodile-like beasts reached the Caribbean, outlasting mainland kin
Knife-toothed reptiles called sebecids went extinct on the mainland 10 million years ago. New fossil evidence puts them on an island 4 million years ago.
- Tech
A new 3-D display lets you reach in and touch virtual objects
These hands-on displays might be used to create more immersive video games, educational tools and museum exhibits.
- Physics
Here’s how we might generate electricity from rain
Water drops produce electricity when dripped through a small tube. That power might be harnessed as renewable energy in rainy places.
