News
- Neuroscience
Clumps of cells in the lab spontaneously formed brain waves
Nerve cells fired coordinated signals in brain organoids, 3-D clusters of cells that mimic some aspects of early brain development.
- Humans
A 3.8-million-year-old skull reveals the face of Lucy’s possible ancestors
A fossilized hominid skull found in an Ethiopian desert illuminates the earliest-known Australopithecus species.
- Tech
A chip made with carbon nanotubes, not silicon, marks a computing milestone
Silicon’s reign in cutting-edge electronics may soon over. The carbon nanotube could be its successor.
- Humans
A historic opioid trial highlights what we know about the deadly drugs
An Oklahoma judge finds that Johnson & Johnson must pay $572 million to the state for the company’s role in the epidemic.
- Space
5 of Jupiter’s newly discovered moons received names in a public contest
Astronomers first announced the discovery of the worlds in July 2018, and have now named them for goddesses and spirits of Greek and Roman mythology.
- Life
Fecal transplants might help make koalas less picky eaters
Poop-transplant pills changed the microbial makeup of koalas’ guts. That could allow the animals to adapt when a favorite type of eucalyptus runs low.
- Chemistry
Plant-based fire retardants may offer a less toxic way to tame flames
Flame retardants created from plant materials could be less harmful to the environment than traditional flame-smothering chemicals.
- Neuroscience
Honeybee brain upgrades may help the insects find food
Changes in honeybee neurons may help the insects decode their fellow foragers’ waggle dances.
- Earth
Ocean acidification could weaken diatoms’ glass houses
Ocean acidification may lead to smaller, lighter diatoms in seawater, which could also shrink how much carbon the tiny ocean algae can help sequester.
- Life
How a newly identified bacterium saps corals of their energy
A parasitic bacterium that preys on corals quickly reproduces when it senses more nutrients in its host.
- Health & Medicine
An Illinois patient’s death may be the first in the U.S. tied to vaping
Officials have announced one death among nearly 200 patients with severe lung illnesses that are potentially related to vaping.
- Earth
Brazil’s Amazon has burned this badly before. This year’s fires are still bad
An environmental scientist discusses possible impacts from the thousands of fires burning across the Brazilian Amazon rainforest.
