News
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EnvironmentMolting seals shed mercury along with fur
Seals spew amassed mercury when they shed, creating hotbeds of pollution in otherwise pristine coastal environments.
By Beth Mole -
Materials ScienceGraphene shows signs of superconductivity
Ultrathin sheets of carbon can conduct electrical current with no resistance at low temperatures.
By Andrew Grant -
EnvironmentLatest BPA replacement seeps into people’s blood and urine
Replacements for BPA called BPS and BPSIP may raise health risks for cashiers.
By Beth Mole -
AstronomyFirst known exoplanets have few counterparts
The first known exoplanets were discovered around pulsars — probably one of the least likely places to have been found, astronomers now say.
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AnimalsSame math describes relationship between diverse predators and prey
From lions to plankton, predators have about the same relationship to the amount of prey, a big-scale ecology study predicts.
By Susan Milius -
Health & MedicineHow farm life can prevent allergies
Farm dust prevents allergies by turning on an anti-inflammatory enzyme in the cells lining mice’s lungs.
By Meghan Rosen -
AnthropologyAncient pottery maps route to South Pacific
New Guinea pottery points to a key meeting of island natives and seafarers at least 3,000 years ago.
By Bruce Bower -
LifeUnhelpful adaptations can speed up evolution
Unhelpful changes in gene activity stimulate natural selection.
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Materials ScienceNanogenerators harvest body’s energy to power devices
Nanogenerators offer body-harvested energy to fuel bionic future
By Beth Mole -
AstronomyNearby quasar may be home to dynamic duo
A pair of black holes left over from a galaxy collision might live in the nearest quasar to Earth.
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EarthVolcanic activity convicted in Permian extinction
Precision dating confirms that Siberian volcanic eruptions could have triggered the Permian extinction.
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Quantum PhysicsNew experiment verifies quantum spookiness
A new experiment provides the most robust proof that quantum mechanics doesn’t follow the rules we take for granted in everyday life.
By Andrew Grant