Life

  1. Earth

    Keeping global warming to 1.5 degrees C helps most species hold their ground

    Holding global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2100 could help protect tens of thousands of insect, plant and vertebrate species.

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  2. Anthropology

    Ancient Chinese farmers sowed literal seeds of change in Southeast Asia

    Two waves of ancient migration from China to Southeast Asia spread farming and languages.

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  3. Life

    Your blood type might make you more likely to get traveler’s diarrhea

    People with type A blood are more likely to develop severe diarrhea from E. coli infections.

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  4. Animals

    50 years ago, scientists warned of a sparrow’s extinction

    Only 17 dusky seaside sparrows remained in 1968. Today, there are none.

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  5. Animals

    Green blood in lizards probably evolved four times

    Pigment buildups that would cause jaundice in people are normal for some New Guinea skinks.

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  6. Plants

    Meet the speedsters of the plant world

    Researchers have recently uncovered a diverse array of mechanisms that allow plants to move — often faster than the blink of an eye.

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  7. Science & Society

    We’ve got the genes for science journalism

    Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses how genetic testing might not be reliable enough for people to plan for the future.

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  8. Animals

    Readers amazed by Jupiter discoveries, giant viruses and more

    Readers had questions about the latest findings of Jupiter, giant viruses being recognized as a new kingdom of life and tardigrade poop.

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  9. Paleontology

    Here’s how hefty dinosaurs sat on their eggs without crushing them

    Some heavier dinos had a strategy to keep eggs warm without crushing them: sit in an opening in the middle of the clutch instead of on top of them.

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  10. Animals

    How a deep-sea geology trip led researchers to a doomed octopus nursery

    A healthy population of cephalopods could be hiding nearby, though, a new study contends.

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  11. Animals

    With a little convincing, rats can detect tuberculosis

    TB-sniffing rats prove more accurate in detecting infection, especially in children, than the most commonly used diagnostic tool.

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  12. Neuroscience

    RNA injected from one sea slug into another may transfer memories

    Long-term memories might be encoded in RNA, a controversial study in sea slugs suggests.

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