Science
Heat-stable enzyme from deep-sea microbe turns nitrogen gas into ammonia
Microorganisms can do remarkable things—for example, nitrogen fixation, the conversion of nitrogen gas (N₂) into a form that organisms can use. Although nitrogen gas makes up arou…
Microscopic alien technology may be hidden in moon dust, scientists say
Could we find alien technology embedded in moon dust?
Wild dogs make the longest recorded journey of any terrestrial mammal in Africa
African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) travel incredibly long distances to search for a mate and new places to breed. They typically embark on these mammoth treks as young adults and o…
Avoiding a sticky situation: How cells stop messenger RNAs from clumping together
Messenger RNA, or mRNA, is best known for carrying genetic instructions from DNA to the cellular machinery that makes proteins. But all RNA molecules have another, less appreciate…
CubeSat instrument extends solar storm warnings 10x
The sun is the reason life exists on our small, blue planet. It provides solar radiation that warms the planet and ignites intricate biochemical processes like photosynthesis, pro…
How individual cells 'surf' chemical waves to form a collective
Researchers have developed an innovative imaging technique to visualize the transition of single cells into multicellular organisms in new detail.
Biophysical model suggests how cells optimize information gathering without using too much energy
In both biological and engineered systems, cells and sensors must make sense of noisy, changing signals to function. However, collecting and using this information consumes valuab…
'Captain EO' at 40: Michael Jackson's wild sci-fi movie that you could only watch at Disney theme parks
Remember when the King of Pop joined forces with Coppola, Lucas and Disney for an inspiring 3D space musical?
Bristol becomes first UK city to ban fast-fashion adverts
Greens-run council will also curb ads for SUVs, airlines, cruises and fossil fuels on sites it owns, in city known for radical political sceneBristol has become the first British …
Fertilizer study reveals where the world can boost food production and cut pollution
Global consumption of fertilizer has doubled since 1980, but some regions that have historically overused fertilizer, including China and parts of Europe, have taken steps to redu…
Celebrate International Observe the Moon Night with NASA
In April, the world watched as four humans circled the Moon for the first time in over 50 years with NASA’s Artemis II mission. On Saturday, Sept. 19, the public is invited to loo…
Artemis III Crew Visits NASA Kennedy’s Vehicle Assembly Building
NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik (left) and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Luca Parmitano view progress on the solid rocket booster integration in High Bay 3 inside the Vehicle…
AI models chatting in ‘surreal’ dialect mixing poetic language and tech bro jargon
Experts air concern over AI lingo redolent of James Joyce’s prose that is creating headaches for monitoring and oversightAI models have begun communicating in a strange new versio…
Planting trees in the wrong places is not a climate solution
A recent United Nations report has stated that the world will likely overshoot the 1.5°C target set out in the 2015 Paris Agreement by 2030.
Marine bacteria team up to break down one of the ocean's toughest carbon-storing molecules
Deep in the ocean, brown algae and diatoms produce a complex carbohydrate molecule called fucoidan, which helps form their protective outer layers. The fucoidan molecule is very d…
Making rocket fuel out of Mars' thin air: New breakthrough could make it happen
By making fuel on the Red Planet rather than bringing it from Earth, a Mars mission could save vital mass.
Scientists create 'super ice' that is ten times stronger and far harder to shatter
Ice is cheap, abundant and surprisingly strong. But it has one major weakness: Cracks can race through it, causing it to shatter without warning. Now, scientists have developed a …
Advanced X-ray crystallography determines structure of macromolecule at unprecedented resolution
Proteins are high-performance molecular machines that carry out nearly every biochemical function inside living cells. To understand how they achieve this, scientists often examin…
Our new research shows humans have maligned bandicoots for decades, making them more vulnerable to extinction
Have you ever found your lawn riddled with holes or heard a little sneeze from your backyard bushes? Those are signs you might have a resident bandicoot. Bandicoots are nocturnal,…
Laser altimeter BELA ready to explore Mercury's surface
Launched on Oct. 20, 2018, the joint ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission has traveled for almost eight years, using a carefully planned but eventful sequence of planetary flybys and sola…
'The violence leaves a mark': How satellites are helping the world monitor war and atrocities
A satellite's view from above fills the gaps in our understanding of the grim realities of war and makes it harder for totalitarian regimes to hide their crimes. But challenges ex…
Bubbles the food-stealing dolphin finds shortcut to easy meal
A dolphin that harasses fish until they regurgitate their food—then swoops in to steal it—has astonished University of the Sunshine Coast researchers who have documented this nove…
The Dust Settled. The Health Effects of 9/11 Didn’t.
Philip Landrigan learned about the attacks on 9/11 the way much of the world did when he was chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in Ne…
Invasive little fire ants prefer cooked beef, seeds over tuna
If you are trying to detect or bait little fire ants in your backyard, scientists at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa suggest swapping tuna for cooked beef and sunflower seeds. …