Life

Genetics

Gene therapies for sickle cell disease come with hope and challenges

Pediatrician Erica Esrick discusses existing sickle cell treatments and an ongoing clinical trial.

Animals

A diamondlike structure gives some starfish skeletons their strength

Electron microscope images of knobby starfish’s calcite skeletons reveal an unexpected architecture that compensates for the mineral’s brittleness.

Paleontology

Fossils reveal what may be the oldest known case of the dino sniffles

A respiratory infection that spread to air sacs in the vertebrae of a 150-million-year-old sauropod likely led to now-fossilized bone lesions.

Genetics

How the Human Genome Project revolutionized understanding of our DNA

Completion of the Human Genome Project was a huge milestone, but there’s more work to do to ensure equitable access to the information in our DNA.

Genetics

How one scientist aims to boost Black people’s representation in genetic datasets

Through information sharing, geneticist Tshaka Cunningham wants to build trust and encourage more Black people to engage with the medical community.

Paleontology

Fossils reveal that pterosaurs puked pellets

Fish scale–filled pellets found by two pterosaurs are the first fossil evidence the flying reptiles regurgitated undigestible food, like some modern birds.

Animals

Deep-sea Arctic sponges feed on fossilized organisms to survive

Slow-moving sponges, living deep in the Arctic Ocean where no currents deliver food, scavenge a carpet of long-dead critters.

Plants

Earth may have 9,200 more tree species than previously thought

Estimating how many tree species are on Earth is an important step for forest conservation and protecting biodiversity.

Animals

Male elephant seals aim to get huge or die trying

Males will risk death to eat and grow as large as possible, since only the biggest males mate. But females aim for long-term survival.

Archaeology

‘Origin’ explores the controversial science of the first Americans

A new book looks at how genetics has affected the study of humans’ arrival in the Americas and sparked conflicts with Indigenous groups today.

Animals

Gory footage confirms orca pods can kill adult blue whales

For the first time, three recorded events show that orcas do hunt and eat blue whales using coordinated attacks that have worked on other large whales.

Animals

Vinegar eels can synchronize swim

Swarming, swimming nematodes can move together like fish and also synchronize their wiggling — an ability rare in the animal kingdom.