News
- Climate
Emperor penguins lost thousands of chicks to melting ice last year
In 2022, groups of emperor penguins in western Antarctica lost almost all their chicks to receding sea ice, signaling the threat of climate change.
- Space
India’s successful moon landing follows recent failures by other countries
The Chandrayaan-3 mission delivered a lander and rover to the moon. Attempts by other countries this year show that getting there is still a challenge.
- Genetics
The Y chromosome’s genetic puzzle is finally complete
New analyses of the human Y chromosome reveal millions of new bases and different locations for the same gene in different people.
- Climate
Some leaves in tropical forests may be getting too hot for photosynthesis
Climate change may be forcing some tropical leaves to stop photosynthesis and die. It’s still unclear what effect this will have on entire forests.
- Archaeology
Pre-Inca people stomped salutes to their thunder god on a special dance floor
Excavation of a drumlike platform in the Andes turned up a structure seemingly designed to absorb shocks and emit resonant sounds when stomped upon.
- Health & Medicine
Health risks can persist at least 2 years after COVID-19, new data suggest
U.S. veterans who tested positive for COVID-19 in 2020 remain at higher risk for many long COVID conditions, from heart disease to gastrointestinal issues.
- Astronomy
This extreme star might have huge tidal waves
Gravitational forces between two orbiting stars might be creating huge waves of plasma on one of the stars that break and crash to the surface.
- Health & Medicine
What should we expect from the coronavirus this fall?
The virus may be reaching a phase of baseline circulation, says epidemiologist Aubree Gordon. But it’s unclear what will happen in the next few months.
- Space
Recoiling black holes could move at nearly one-tenth the speed of light
Knowing black holes’ speed after being kicked by gravitational waves can reveal how much energy converging black holes can release.
- Life
Around 13,000 years ago, humans and fire changed LA’s ecosystem forever
Rapid drying combined with human-made fires changed Southern California forever, killing off ancient bison, dire wolves and five other megafauna species there.
- Genetics
A new look at Ötzi the Iceman’s DNA reveals new ancestry and other surprises
Ötzi had genetic variants for male-pattern baldness and dark skin, and he also had an unusual amount of early farmer ancestry, a new DNA analysis finds.
- Chemistry
Magnetic ‘rusty’ nanoparticles pull estrogen out of water
Iron oxide particles adorned with “sticky” molecules trap estrogen in water, possibly limiting the hormone’s harmful effects on aquatic life.
