News
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Health & MedicineFever in pregnancy linked to autism
Pregnant women who run a high temperature that goes untreated may double their risk of having an autistic child, a study finds.
By Nathan Seppa -
SpaceAn interview with alien hunter Jill Tarter
The director of Center for SETI Research is retiring to focus on finding funds to continue the hunt for extraterrestrial life.
By Nadia Drake -
HumansClimate skepticism not rooted in science illiteracy
Cultural values are more important than science knowledge in shaping a person’s views on global warming.
By Janet Raloff -
HumansHarappans may have lived, died by monsoon
Waning of seasonal rains over millennia gave rise to a civilization and then doomed it, a new study suggests.
By Devin Powell -
LifeHow not to eat the wrong frog
Panamanian bats use an array of senses to keep from ingesting poison prey.
By Susan Milius -
LifeBlue light tells plants when to flower
Protein that marks day length also coordinates blooming genes.
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HumansFamily labels framed similarly across cultures
Despite differing languages, a trade-off between simplicity and usefulness of words defining kin relationships might be universal.
By Bruce Bower -
TechBacterial trick keeps robots in sync
Communicating information about the environment allows a stumbling machine to rejoin its group.
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LifeDelay of bloom blamed on climate change
Flowers that appear immune to global warming in spring may simply be taking a cue from the previous warmer autumn.
By Susan Milius -
Health & MedicineLong-acting contraceptives best by far
Implants and IUDs outperform the pill, vaginal ring and patch as birth control options, a study finds.
By Nathan Seppa -
LifeNo new smell cells
Other mammals constantly create new olfactory neurons as they learn new smells, but a new study suggests humans don’t.
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Planetary ScienceFrosted honeycomb of a moon
New analyses of Cassini images reveal ice on the pockmarked Saturnian satellite Hyperion.
By Nadia Drake