News

  1. Animals

    Stilts for ants make case for pedometer

    Changing the leg length of desert ants upsets their ability to judge distance, providing the first evidence in any animal of a built-in odometer based on stride.

    By Susan Milius
  2. Planetary Science

    Some deadly monikers

    Two recently found small moons orbiting Pluto have now been officially dubbed Nix and Hydra.

    By Ron Cowen
  3. Health & Medicine

    Statins might lower risk of cataracts

    Cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins might slow the formation of certain types of cataracts in the eye.

    By Nathan Seppa
  4. Earth

    Radiation Redux: Forest fires remobilize fallout from bomb tests

    A sensor installed to monitor fallout from modern nuclear tests has detected small amounts of radioactive cesium produced by bomb tests decades ago and sent skyward by forest fires.

    By Sid Perkins
  5. Health & Medicine

    Keep on Going: Busy seniors live longer, more proof that it pays to stay active

    Healthy elderly people who burn a lot of calories each day may be gaining extra years of life.

    By Nathan Seppa
  6. Anthropology

    Little Ancestor, Big Debate: Tiny islanders’ identity sparks dispute

    New measurements bolster the 2-year-old claim that fossils of a half-size human ancestor found on an Indonesian island represent a new species.

    By Bruce Bower
  7. Tech

    Farm-Fuel Feedback: Soybeans have advantages over corn

    A new analysis of two biofuels finds that while both provide more energy than they consume, soybean biodiesel gives more bang for the buck than ethanol made from corn.

    By Aimee Cunningham
  8. Animals

    Live Prey for Dummies: Meerkats coach pups on hunting

    Meerkats easing their pups into the job of handling live prey are among the few animal species shown so far to be natural teachers. With audio.

    By Susan Milius
  9. Astronomy

    Explosive Aftermath: Sluggish neutron star puzzles astronomers

    An X-ray–emitting object at the heart of a young supernova remnant doesn't fit the textbook view of what a stellar explosion is supposed to leave behind.

    By Ron Cowen
  10. Humans

    Close Your Books: Cuts, shutdowns loom for EPA libraries

    Some regional libraries maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency will permanently shut their doors because of a proposed cut to their funding.

    By Ben Harder
  11. Health & Medicine

    In utero factors shape responses to stress, sugar

    Abnormal conditions during pregnancy can lead in unexpected ways to physiological problems in children once they reach adulthood.

    By Ben Harder
  12. Health & Medicine

    Thyroid-hormone mimic lowers LDL

    A compound in a new class of potential anti-cholesterol drugs has passed an early test in people.

    By Ben Harder