News
- Life
Losing genes may have helped whales’ ancestors adapt to life under the sea
Jettisoning genes tied to saliva and the lungs, among others, could have smoothed ancient cetaceans’ land-to-water transition 50 million years ago.
- Archaeology
Baby bottles may go back millennia in Europe
Europe’s early farmers used spouted vessels to wean infants, an analysis of residue from animal milk left in the containers suggests.
- Climate
IPCC report warns of a bleak future for oceans and frozen regions under climate change
A new IPCC report offers dire warnings about how climate change is altering oceans, the polar regions and the high snowy mountains.
- Climate
How climate change is already altering oceans and ice, and what’s to come
A new IPCC report gives the lowdown on how climate change is already wreaking havoc on Earth’s oceans and frozen regions, and how much worse things could get.
- Health & Medicine
Disabling one protein might one day lead to a cure for the common cold
Scientists have identified a protein in humans that some viruses, including those that cause colds, need to spread.
- Life
Cats may have ‘attachment styles’ that mirror people’s
In a new study, 65 percent of felines formed secure attachments with their owners. Like people, other cats were ambivalent or avoidant.
- Quantum Physics
Rumors hint that Google has accomplished quantum supremacy
Reports suggest a quantum computer has bested standard computers on one type of calculation, but practical applications are still a distant goal.
- Planetary Science
India’s first attempt to land on the moon appears to have failed
Indian scientists haven’t heard from the Vikram lander for a full lunar day, after they lost contact during the robotic spacecraft’s descent.
- Life
We’ve lost 3 billion birds since 1970 in North America
Scientists estimated the change in total number of individual birds since 1970. They found profound losses spread among rare and common birds alike.
- Humans
Alcohol-producing bacteria could cause liver disease in some people
A majority of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease also had gut bacteria churning out medium to high levels of ethanol.
- Humans
Ancient DNA reveals the first glimpse of what a Denisovan may have looked like
A controversial technique reconstructs a teenage Denisovan’s physical appearance from genetics.
- Health & Medicine
1 in 4 U.S. high school seniors has vaped recently — up 4.5 percentage points from 2018
A 2019 survey finds the number of high school and middle school students who report using e-cigarettes recently continues to grow.
