Life
Sign up for our newsletter
We summarize the week's science breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Life
Vertebrates, perhaps even humans, share teeth genes
Researchers have uncovered what may be a shared genetic toolkit for teeth, one common among vertebrates and mammals, including humans
- Ecosystems
Flowering plants welcome other life
When angiosperms diversified 100 million years ago, they opened new niches for ants, plants and frogs.
- Life
Molecular link between vitamin D deficiency and MS
Scientists have discovered a molecular link that may help explain why Vitamin D deficiency is associated with multiple sclerosis.
- Health & Medicine
Cancer fighting green tea may have a dark side
This herbal remedy can short-circuit one of the few useful therapies for largely incurable blood cancers.
By Janet Raloff - Genetics
Dog gene heeds call of the wild
Domesticated dogs passed a gene for dark fur color to their wild cousins.
- Life
Caterpillar noise tricks ants into service
Sneaky interlopers mimic the “voice” of an ant queen to get royal treatment from the colony. (Audio included.)
By Susan Milius - Earth
Animal ancestors may have survived ‘snowball Earth’
Chemical fossils in Precambrian sedimentary rock push back the first date for animal life.
- Life
Earliest whales gave birth on land
Recently discovered fossils of a protowhale help fill in gaps in the land-to-water transition.
By Sid Perkins - Chemistry
Nonstick chemicals linked to infertility
Featured blog: Infertility doubled in women who had high concentrations of commercially produced nonstick chemicals polluting their blood.
By Janet Raloff - Life
Nemo could get lost again as seawater approaches acidity
Reef fish raised at a seawater pH expected for the year 2100 don't smell their way around normally.
By Susan Milius -
- Life
Whipping fluids along in microlabs
Researchers have detailed one way for hairlike structures to drive liquid in a "lab on a chip."