Uncategorized
- Physics
Shadows of two failed searches loom over physics
Physicists are facing two failures this year with no detections of dark matter particles and no signs of supersymmetry from the Large Hadron Collider.
- Climate
Glacier melting’s link to climate change confirmed
The decades-long melting of glaciers is categorical evidence of climate change, a new study affirms.
- Tech
Five challenges for self-driving cars
Scientific and technical experts weigh in on the biggest hurdles for autonomous vehicles, and how ongoing research will help.
- Astronomy
Magnetic stars could have created LIGO’s massive black holes
Strong magnetic fields could provide a way for massive stars to create heavy black holes when they die.
- Health & Medicine
Penicillin allergy? Think again.
Most people are either mislabeled with a penicillin allergy or get over it with time, and doctors don’t always think to check.
- Health & Medicine
Microcephaly cases surge in Colombia following rise in Zika infections
More than 400 cases of microcephaly have been reported in Colombia this year, months after Zika virus infections peaked in the country.
- Paleontology
Dinosaur tail preserved in amber, with feathers
The tail of a dinosaur trapped in amber includes both feathers and identifiable bits of bone.
- Life
Cells avoiding suicide may play role in spread of cancer
A newly discovered process can pull cells back from the brink of death.
- Quantum Physics
Vacuum’s quantum effect on light detected
Light can be polarized through interactions with empty space.
- Genetics
Epigenetic marks may help assess toxic exposure risk — someday
Exposure to things in the environment may change chemical tags on DNA and proteins, but it’s still unclear how to use that data to assess health risks.
- Life
Early RNA may have used isolation strategy to defeat useless mutants
Temporary barriers help RNA escape shorter, faster-replicating parasites
- Health & Medicine
Oldest traces of smallpox virus found in child mummy
The oldest genetic evidence of smallpox comes from variola virus DNA found in a child mummy buried in a church crypt in Lithuania.
