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Astronomy

Readers boggled by black hole behemoth

Readers had questions about the first image of a black hole and a chytrid fungus.

Science & Society

Science hasn’t managed to span the diagnosis gap

Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses how scientists are devising better diagnostic tools to detect diseases.

Earth

Is a long-dormant Russian volcano waking up? It’s complicated

Scientists debate how to interpret seismic activity near Bolshaya Udina on the remote Kamchatka Peninsula.

Astronomy

Table salt may be hiding in Europa’s underground sea

Observations of Europa by the Hubble Space Telescope suggest that the moon’s ice-covered ocean may hold sodium chloride, or common table salt.

Ecosystems

Many of the world’s rivers are flush with dangerous levels of antibiotics

Antibiotic pollution can fuel drug resistance in microbes. A global survey of rivers finds unsafe levels of antibiotics in 16 percent of sites.

Astronomy

Massive superflares have been seen erupting from stars like the sun

Older stars, like the sun, can still send out massive bursts of energy that can be seen from light-years away.

Environment

Some Canadian lakes still store DDT in their mud

Yesterday’s DDT pollution crisis is still today’s problem in some of Canada’s lakes.

Climate

The National Weather Service has launched its new U.S. forecasting model

The United States has finally unveiled its new, highly touted weather prediction model, but some scientists worry that it’s not ready for prime time.

Archaeology

People may have smoked marijuana in rituals 2,500 years ago in western China

Cannabis may have been altering minds at an ancient high-altitude cemetery, researchers say

Animals

Bats are the main cause of rare rabies deaths in the U.S.

In the United States, bats are mostly to blame for rabies deaths, while rabies transmitted by overseas dogs comes in second.

Astronomy

Astronomers may have spotted the ghost galaxy that hit the Milky Way long ago

Astronomers think they’ve identified a galaxy that hit the Milky Way and ruffled its edges millions of years ago.

Health & Medicine

Extra fingers, often seen as useless, can offer major dexterity advantages

Two people born with six fingers on each hand can control the extra digit, using it to do tasks better than five-fingered hands, a study finds.