News
- Planetary Science
Many tiny moons came together to form moon, simulations suggest
Earth’s moon formed from mini-moons generated by a series of medium to large impacts, rather than from one colossal collision, researchers propose
- Animals
Unusually loose skin helps hagfish survive shark attacks
Hagfish skin that easily slips and slides can be a lifesaver in crises such as shark attacks.
- Chemistry
Debate heats up over claims that hot water sometimes freezes faster than cold
A team of chemists has a new explanation for the Mpemba effect, while other scientists debate if it is even real.
- Neuroscience
Facial-processing area of brain keeps growing throughout childhood
Contrary to scientists’ expectations, a facial-processing area of the brain grows new tissue during childhood, an MRI study suggests.
- Archaeology
Hunter-gatherers were possibly first to call Tibetan Plateau home
Hunter-gatherers may have been Asia’s first year-round, high-altitude settlers.
- Climate
Warming could disrupt Atlantic Ocean current
The Atlantic current that keeps northwestern Europe warm may be less stable under future climate change than previously thought, revised simulations show.
- Astronomy
Gotcha: Fast radio burst’s home nabbed
For the first time, astronomers pinpoint a precise position on the sky for a fast radio burst, revealing that the outburst originated in a galaxy about 2.5 billion light-years away.
- Chemistry
Carbon can exceed four-bond limit
Scientists confirm structure of unusual molecule in which carbon bonds to six other carbon atoms.
- Ecosystems
Long-ignored, high-flying arthropods could make up largest land migrations
Forget birds. 3.5 trillion insects, spiders and mites a year fly over the southern United Kingdom.
- Life
Ancient enzymes adapted to a cooler Earth to keep life’s chemical reactions going
Ancient enzymes kept their speed at lower temperatures.
- Life
Force-detecting protein senses when lungs fill with air
A study in mice pinpoints a force-detecting protein that regulates breathing, previously implicated in touch.
- Earth
‘Waterworld’ Earth preceded late rise of continents, scientist proposes
Cooling mantle temperatures may have lifted Earth’s continents above sea level, helping spur the Cambrian explosion.
