Science
Gene-silencing technology to protect forests from invasive pests
A University of Kentucky forest entomologist is advancing a pest-control approach designed to target destructive forest beetles while minimizing effects on surrounding wildlife.
Do you want help from humans or AI bots? Because the UK civil service is changing – and not for the better | The civil servant
Rapidly expanding AI use within the government is numbing departments to its profound threats. And try arguing with a faceless digital bureaucratAnother day, another apocalyptic w…
Wild crabapples have genetic potential to improve domestic varieties
A bad apple doesn't always ruin the bunch. In fact, it might make the bunch a little stronger. A new study published in Horticulture Research by Ben Mansfeld, an assistant profess…
Snakes' appearances linked to how scary or appealing people find them
Snakes can elicit a wide range of human responses, including fear, disgust, awe and admiration. Past studies suggest that both humans and nonhuman primates, such as monkeys and ap…
Mass Heat Wave Deaths in Europe Show Climate Extremes Are Outpacing Adaptation Efforts
A series of deadly heat waves from May to August overwhelmed Germany’s healthcare and emergency response systems and led to an estimated 16,000 heat-related deaths during the summ…
Study of Groundwater Near Fracking Sites Finds Low Radium Levels, but Raises Concerns About Increased Salinity
Testing in a limited number of shallow aquifers near fracking sites in southwestern Pennsylvania found low levels of radium overall, but there aren’t yet enough samples to draw fi…
Paw-fect candidate: Australia finds new koala rescue dog
The hunt is over: After trawling through dozens of applications, an Australian animal welfare group has found a successor to a hero hound credited with saving more than 100 koalas…
Half a million trees to be planted in England in three years, says government
Exclusive: Environment secretary Angela Eagle to make pledge as part of efforts to protect against extreme weatherHalf a million trees will be planted across England in the next t…
World’s seas heated by a record 23 zettajoules last year
The injection of thermal energy, 40 times that used by humanity in total, comes amid an increasing rise in sea levels and continuing acidificationA record-breaking 23 zettajoules …
Country diary: The land here is scarred from a year of hard weather – now what will winter hold? | Alexandra Pearce-Broomhead
Camborne, Cornwall: There will be more storms like Goretti and more fires next summer, but we can make the landscape more resilientA grey wagtail flits at the stream’s edge, its f…
Insects are essential to vertebrate life—as food, shelter and medicine
While insects provide an essential food source for many vertebrate species, they're more than just a protein-laden snack. Chimpanzees use them to sterilize wounds, and herons use …
APOD: 2026 September 30 – Arp 78: Peculiar Galaxy in Aries
APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 September 30 –… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the co…
Powerful Storms Continue to Prowl the Pacific
Hurricanes Polo and Nolo sent destructive effects ashore amid an active season in the northeastern and central Pacific.
Can a mushroom make music? Devon exhibition explores ‘cultural world’ of fungi
Exeter museum to host DJ’s ‘collaboration’ with woodland fungi and artist’s map of her own body’s mycobiomeFor one of the installations, a musician spent hours in woodland “collab…
Dinosaur snacked on seaweed washed up on North American coasts, fossil teeth suggest
Storms routinely wash marine material ashore, providing food for land animals and other organisms. This is known as marine subsidization (MS). Today, MS is particularly common in …
Crystal spacing predicts magnetic states in complex alloys better than electron count
In materials chemistry, identifying common parameters that can organize magnetic ground states across complex intermetallic compounds remains a central challenge. Researchers have…
Camera system sheds new light on bird collisions at sea
Research into bird collisions with offshore wind turbines has taken an important step forward. A yearlong pilot study at an offshore wind turbine has shown that thermal cameras an…
Unlocking AI as a research tool for plant microscopy
Software created by University of Queensland scientists could help AI platforms overcome a blind spot limiting their value in plant research. UQ Ph.D. student Tianqi Wei said even…
Small fields, great diversity: How a diverse patchwork of crops helps birds
Birds are not only beautiful to look at and listen to; they also play important roles in nature. They eat pests and disperse seeds. They are generally considered indicators of a h…
Antarctic winter sea ice falls to third-lowest level on record as scientists warn of ‘now problem’
Coverage levels fall a million square kilometres short of the long-term average, with global heating likely driving lossesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet…
Engineered coating lets mitochondria retain their ability to produce energy
Researchers have coated mitochondria with innovative materials without compromising their function, according to a study by IRCCS Fondazione Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta (FINC…
Alien life? Why the possibility of exoplanet LHS 1140b emitting helium gas is so exciting
This summer, exoplanet science—the study of planets orbiting stars beyond our sun—took a big step forward. Reports of helium gas escaping from the atmosphere of LHS 1140b propelle…
Nine generations of virtual dating reveal how fish shape their ideal mates
Fish have "designed" their perfect partners in a new experiment—revealing simple male preferences and more complex female tastes.
Revisiting a Young Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton is typically portrayed as a solitary scientist with intense focus who was obsessed with power and deeply egotistical. But a new book by Caltech historians Jed Buchwal…