All Stories by Laurel Hamers
- Earth
Megadiamonds point to metal in mantle
Imperfections in supersized diamonds hint at metallic iron and nickel in Earth’s mantle.
- Ecosystems
Oyster deaths linked to ‘atmospheric rivers’
Atmospheric rivers bring strong storms that could have been behind a 2011 California oyster die-off.
- 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.
- Life
Early RNA may have used isolation strategy to defeat useless mutants
Temporary barriers help RNA escape shorter, faster-replicating parasites
- Neuroscience
Gut microbe mix may spark Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s disease symptoms might be driven by gut microbes
- Chemistry
Enzyme forges carbon-silicon bonds with a little human help
A few tweaks to an enzyme help it link carbon to silicon — a match not found in nature.
- Microbes
Cut leaves in bagged salads help Salmonella grow
Juice from torn-up leafy greens helps Salmonella spread in bagged salads.
- Tech
Double-charging material makes a run in the sun extra powerful
Textile stores energy from the sun and a person’s movements to power devices.
- Life
British red squirrels serve as leprosy reservoir
Red squirrels in the British Isles can harbor the bacteria that cause leprosy.
- Environment
Ocean plastic emits chemical that tricks seabirds into eating trash
Some seabirds might be eating plastic because it emits a chemical that smells like food.
- Environment
Ocean plastic emits chemical that may trick seabirds into eating trash
Some seabirds might be eating plastic because it emits a chemical that smells like food.
- Tech
New technique shows cells’ molecules in color
A new electron microscopy technique reveals cellular details in multicolor
