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Earth

Arctic ice more vulnerable than ever

Ocean’s ice cap is smaller than long-term average and thinnest yet as melt season begins.

Chemistry

Bubbles turn on chemical catalysts

Mechanical force could help chemical compounds spur reactions when the time is right.

Animals

Chimps ambidextrous when digging wells

A survey of water-collection holes dug on the banks of an African river by wild chimpanzees indicates that, unlike people, these apes don’t have a preference for using either the right or left hand on manual tasks.

Anthropology

Hobbit brain small, but organized for complex intelligence

Evolution may have endowed a controversial species with small but humanlike brains equipped to support advanced thinking

Health & Medicine

Sleep may clear the decks for next day’s learning

Two separate studies suggest that sleep reduces connections between neurons in fruit flies’ brains.