News
- Space
Astronomers watch a supermassive black hole turn on for the first time
A galaxy transitioned from being dim and quiet to bright and active, giving astronomers insight into active galactic nuclei.
- Health & Medicine
AI could take medical imaging to the next level
Artificial intelligence in medical imaging is taking off. Experts share what they see as the promise — and potential pitfalls — of AI technology.
- Plants
This tentacled, parasitic ‘fairy lantern’ plant is new to science
The bizarre new plant from Malaysia parasitizes subterranean fungi and only briefly erupts from the soil to flower.
- Quantum Physics
Physicists measured Earth’s rotation using quantum entanglement
The experiment is a step toward testing how quantum physics interfaces with gravity.
- Paleontology
Early ants may have had complex social lives, fossil data suggests
The earliest ants may have been primed for a highly social life — 100 million years ago, the insects had antennae tuned to key communication functions.
- Climate
The Arctic is warming rapidly. These clouds may hold clues as to why
Climate simulations can’t fully handle towering Arctic thunderclouds. So scientists have been flying a C-130 into and around the clouds to learn more.
- Health & Medicine
A malaria drug could be used to treat PCOS, a common hormone disorder
Artemisinin is known to be effective against malaria, lupus, cancer and now possibly polycystic ovarian syndrome.
- Paleontology
‘Echidnapus’ hints at a lost age of egg-laying mammals
The fossil discoveries double the number of known monotreme species during the Cretaceous Period.
- Anthropology
Child sacrifices at famed Maya site were all boys, many closely related
DNA analysis shows victims in one underground chamber at Chichén Itzá included twins, perhaps representing mythological figures.
- Health & Medicine
Long COVID finally gets a universal definition
If broadly adopted, this inclusive description of long COVID will help legitimize the ongoing struggles millions of people are facing post-infection.
- Space
Human spaceflight’s new era is fraught with medical and ethical questions
A new project called the Space Omics and Medical Atlas aims to study and document astronaut health as commercial spaceflight starts to take off.
- Health & Medicine
Gen X has higher cancer rates than their baby boomer parents
An unexplained uptick in cancer diagnoses among Gen Xers might be bad news for millennials and Gen Z.
