Uncategorized
- Science & Society
A #BlackBirdersWeek cofounder aims to amplify black nature enthusiasts
Wildlife biologist Danielle Belleny hopes the social media campaign represents black birders and nature enthusiasts of color in a hobby often stereotyped as white.
- Space
A Milky Way flash implicates magnetars as a source of fast radio bursts
A bright radio burst seen from a magnetar in the Milky Way suggests that similar objects produce the mysterious fast radio bursts observed in other galaxies.
- Physics
A new device can produce electricity using shadows
Even under low light, this new technology exploits the contrast between light and shade to produce a current that can power small electronics.
- Humans
Lidar reveals the oldest and biggest Maya structure yet found
A previously unknown Maya site in Mexico, called Aguada Fénix, adds to evidence that massive public works may have preceded kings in the civilization.
- Health & Medicine
What parents need to know about kids in the summer of COVID-19
So far, evidence suggests children don’t often get severely ill from COVID-19, but there’s more to learn about their role in its spread.
- Life
These tube-shaped creatures may be the earliest known parasites
Fossils from over 500 million years ago might be the first known example of parasitism in the fossil record, though the evidence isn’t conclusive.
- Humans
The Dead Sea Scrolls contain genetic clues to their origins
Animal DNA is providing researchers with hints on how to assemble what amounts to a giant jigsaw puzzle of ancient manuscript fragments.
- Neuroscience
A new 3-D map illuminates the ‘little brain’ within the heart
Microscopy and genetic studies yield a comprehensive map of the nerve cells found in the heart of a rat.
- Earth
Chicxulub collision put Earth’s crust in hot water for over a million years
An asteroid impact 66 million years ago caused hot fluids to circulate in the crust, creating conditions that may have been ideal for microbial life.
- Climate
‘Tree Story’ explores what tree rings can tell us about the past
The book "Tree Story" explains how scientists decipher tree rings to discover clues about past climates and ancient civilizations.
- Space
A weird cosmic flare called the ‘Cow’ now has company
Scientists have now found three similar luminous, short-lived bursts of light, part of a class known as fast blue optical transients.
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We have learned much, and need to learn much more
Editor in chief Nancy Shute writes about the challenges of covering emerging scientific discoveries in the time of COVID-19.
