Uncategorized
- Planetary Science
Farming on Mars will be a lot harder than ‘The Martian’ made it seem
Lab experiments developing and testing fake Martian dirt are proving just how difficult it would be to farm on the Red Planet.
- Paleontology
How massive long-necked dinosaurs rose to rule the Jurassic herbivores
New dinosaur fossil dates to same time as a volcanic surge, suggesting ensuing changes in plant life allowed these long-necked giants to emerge.
- Animals
Hundreds of new genomes help fill the bird ‘tree of life’
More than 10,000 bird species live on Earth. Now, researchers are one step closer to understanding the evolution of all of this feathered diversity.
- Neuroscience
Psilocybin may help treat depression, a small study finds
Researchers found that a compound in psychedelic mushrooms eased depression symptoms, but larger studies are needed.
- Health & Medicine
Moderna says its COVID-19 vaccine is nearly 95 percent effective
Another coronavirus vaccine appears to be very effective in preventing people from developing COVID-19 symptoms.
- Space
Planets with many neighbors may be the best places to look for life
Solar systems with many planets in circular orbits suggest a calm life-nurturing past, while single exoplanets with eccentric orbits hint at chaos.
- Genetics
A key to the mystery of fast-evolving genes was found in ‘junk DNA’
A new study challenges a long-held belief that essential genes change little over time.
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With a pandemic, impatience can be deadly
Editor in chief Nancy Shute writes about pandemic fatigue and the importance of patience in the face of uncertainty.
- Health & Medicine
Measles has come back with a vengeance in the last several years
The steep number of measles cases in 2019 doesn’t bode well for 2020, considering disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Earth
Technology and natural hazards clash to create ‘natech’ disasters
Hurricanes, wildfires and nature’s other extreme events are increasingly causing damage to infrastructure crucial for safety and communication.
- Anthropology
Bolivia’s Tsimane people’s average body temperature fell half a degree in 16 years
A new study echoes other research suggesting that people’s average body temperature is lower today than it used to be.
