News
-
Health & MedicineImmune booster also works in reverse
Injections of the protein interleukin-2 can calm runaway defenses that damage tissues in the body, two studies show.
By Nathan Seppa -
Health & MedicineWeaker brain links found in psychopaths
Decreased communication between emotional and executive centers may contribute to the mental disorder.
-
SpaceChristmas gamma-ray burst still puzzles
Nearly a year after receiving a spectacular celestial gift, astrophysicists are still asking: “What is it?”
By Nadia Drake -
SpaceSuperbubble harbors cosmic rays
Stellar nursery jump-starts rays’ journey to Earth.
By Nadia Drake -
LifeBiology’s big bang had a long fuse
The fossil record’s earliest troves of animal life are the result of more than 200 million years of evolution.
By Susan Milius -
HumansCooking can be surprisingly forgiving
Network analysis confirms deviations from the recipe are quite feasible.
-
LifeCretaceous Thanksgiving
A fossilized feathered dinosaur dined on bird not long before its own demise.
By Susan Milius -
ChemistryRadiation sickness treatment shows promise
The regimen could be used to protect large numbers of people in the aftermath of major accidents such as Chernobyl or Fukushima.
-
LifeDNA to flutter by
The complete genetic instruction book for making monarch butterflies contains information about how the insects manage their long migration to Mexico.
-
EarthOxygen a bit player in Earth’s outer core
Sulfur and silicon may be more abundant in the planet’s heart than thought.
-
Health & MedicineGetting the picture of how someone died
CT scans can often reveal a clear cause of death, possibly making some autopsies unnecessary, British researchers find.
By Nathan Seppa -
LifeUnraveling synesthesia
Tangled senses may have genetic or chemical roots, or both.
By Nick Bascom