News
- Anthropology
How ancient, recurring climate changes may have shaped human evolution
Climate changes drove where Homo species lived over the last 2 million years, with a disputed ancestor giving rise to H. sapiens, a new study claims.
- Agriculture
More than 57 billion tons of soil have eroded in the U.S. Midwest
Researchers discovered startling soil erosion rates in the Midwest. Farming has worsened erosion, but no-till practices and cover crops can help.
- Science & Society
Ukrainian identity solidified for 30 years. Putin ignored the science
Social scientists have mapped Ukrainian allegiances shifting from Russia toward Ukraine since the country’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
- Climate
Climate change intensified deadly storms in Africa in early 2022
Tropical storms battered southeast Africa in quick succession from January through March, leading to hundreds of deaths and widespread damage.
- Planetary Science
New thermal maps of Neptune reveal surprising temperature swings
Neptune's atmospheric temperatures show a global drop and later, a weird isolated spike at the south pole. Scientists don't yet know why.
- Life
How a mound-building bird shapes its Australian ecosystem
In Australia’s mallee woodlands, malleefowl dutifully construct mounds to incubate their eggs, redistributing nutrients across the landscape.
- Planetary Science
Mars has two speeds of sound
High-pitched clacks from a laser on NASA’s Perseverance rover zapping rocks traveled faster than the lower-pitched hum of the Ingenuity helicopter’s blades.
- Particle Physics
The W boson might be extra hefty. If so, it could hint at new physics
A new measurement of the W boson’s mass, made by smashing particles together, reveals a potential crack in physics’ standard model.
- Paleontology
A hole in a Triceratops named Big John probably came from combat
The nature of the wound and signs of healing suggest that the dinosaur's bony frill was impaled by a Triceratops rival.
- Animals
How a western banded gecko eats a scorpion
New high-speed video details how usually mild-mannered geckos shake and incapacitate their venomous prey.
- Health & Medicine
Racial bias can seep into U.S. patients’ medical notes
Black patients were more often described negatively in medical notes than white patients, which may impact care.
- Astronomy
A star nicknamed ‘Earendel’ may be the most distant yet seen
Analyzing Hubble Space Telescope images revealed a star whose light originates from about 12.9 billion light-years away, researchers say.
