Life

  1. Science & Society

    The power of great editors, their lessons and legacy

    Editor in Chief Nancy Shute reflects on the history and legacy of Science News editors.

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  2. Science & Society

    Readers respond to pesticides, Hawking radiation and more

    Readers had questions about pesticides, Hawking radiation and the intersection of science and the public.

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  3. Genetics

    The history of heredity makes for a fascinating, and chilling, read

    From eugenics to gene editing, Carl Zimmer’s She Has Her Mother’s Laugh recounts genetics’ biggest discoveries.

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  4. Life

    Skeletons come in many shapes and sizes

    In Skeletons, two paleobiologists recount how and why skeletons evolved, as well as the variety of forms they take and the many purposes they serve.

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  5. Paleontology

    How birds may have escaped the dino-killing asteroid impact

    A tree-loving lifestyle became a risk for ancient birds in a world-changing catastrophe.

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  6. Paleontology

    The Chicxulub asteroid impact might have set off 100,000 years of global warming

    About 66 million years ago, the Chicxulub asteroid impact set off 100,000 years of global warming, an analysis of oxygen in fish fossils suggests.

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  7. Animals

    Pregnant bonobos get a little delivery help from their friends

    As in humans, female bonobos become helpers for mothers giving birth, data from captive apes suggest.

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  8. Genetics

    Genetic sleuthing again IDs a murder suspect in a cold case

    The arrest of a second murder suspect with the help of genetic genealogy raises worries that suspicionless searches may be next.

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  9. Genetics

    Special report: Genetic testing goes mainstream

    Consumer genetic tests may not tell customers that much about themselves. Science News delves into these tests in a multipart series.

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  10. Genetics

    What genetic tests from 23andMe, Veritas and Genos really told me about my health

    A Science News reporter tried out three consumer genetic testing companies to see what people really learn about their health.

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  11. Genetics

    Consumer DNA testing promises more than it delivers

    Chances are your DNA doesn’t contain dark secrets. But there may be lots of variety in results from testing company to company.

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  12. Animals

    A caterpillar outwits corn defenses by gorging on fattening ‘junk’ food

    The crop plants defend themselves with zombie-maker wasps, but one pest has a desperate work-around.

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