News

  1. Physics

    ‘Atomtronics’ may be the new ‘electronics’

    A research team has created a quantum circuit that may help lead to the development of a new class of devices.

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  2. Tech

    The numbers prove it: This is a data age

    An assessment of the world’s computing capacity documents a staggering rise in power and storage since 1986.

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  3. Humans

    Lucy’s feet were made for walking

    A 3.2-million-year-old toe fossil suggests a humanlike gait for an ancient hominid.

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  4. Life

    Moonless twilight may cue mass spawning

    Subtle color shifts on the nights just after the full moon might synchronize the release of gametes by corals and other marine creatures.

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  5. Life

    Fleas leap from feet, not knees

    After years of scratching their heads over the question of exactly how the impressive jumpers launch themselves, scientists find an answer.

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  6. Health & Medicine

    Prenatal surgery may be preferable for spina bifida

    Performing an operation preterm shows better results against the neural tube defect than waiting until the baby is born, but there are trade-offs, a new study shows.

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  7. Life

    Small part of brain itching for a fight

    A cluster of cells compels aggressive behavior in mice.

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  8. Life

    Buried microbes coax energy from rock

    In experiments, microorganisms can stimulate minerals to produce hydrogen, a key fuel for growth in a thriving subterranean world.

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  9. Humans

    Adaptive no more

    A potential benefit in prehistoric lean times, genetic variant may increase risk of gestational diabetes today.

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  10. Health & Medicine

    Allergic to cancer

    Having an overactive immune system may protect against certain types of brain tumor, a study suggests.

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  11. Space

    The sun, captured from all the angles

    NASA reveals the first 360-degree panorama of the sun, which should enable early detection of potentially damaging solar storms.

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  12. Earth

    Extinctions breed carbon chaos

    Massive die-off left ecosystems vulnerable, an analysis suggests.

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