Life
Sign up for our newsletter
We summarize the week's science breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Life
Camel ancestors lived in the Arctic
Fossils on Ellesmere Island suggest famous desert dweller got its start in cold regions.
By Erin Wayman - Animals
Native pollinators boost crop yields worldwide
Farms with crops from coffee to mangoes don’t get the best yields if they rely solely on honeybees.
By Susan Milius - Life
Sperm swim against the current
Human and mouse sperm both follow upstream currents to the egg.
By Meghan Rosen - Life
Impact craters may have been a toasty home for early life
The heat generated during a cosmic crash could have nurtured ancient organisms.
By Erin Wayman - Neuroscience
Tadpoles with eyes in their tails see the light
Transplanted eyes in the creature’s tail can distinguish between red and blue.
- Life
Scientists race to understand deadly new virus
Emerging virus causes severe illness, but doesn’t spread as quickly as SARS.
- Animals
How weaver ants get a grip
Strong sticking power and quick reaction time help the insects stay put in trees.
By Susan Milius -
- Life
Insulin levels wax and wane daily
Modern life may clash with the hormone’s natural cycle, new mouse research suggests.
- Life
Bees learn the electric buzz of flowers
Floral electric fields could join color and fragrance as cues to pollinators.
By Susan Milius - Life
Chill turns monarchs north
Temperature manipulation appears to solve mystery of what triggers migratory butterflies’ homeward trip.
By Meghan Rosen - Chemistry
Synthetic nanomaterial can recognize viruses
The new method may have advantages over antibody-based technologies.