Science
Viral enzyme cuts bacterial sensor protein, triggering defense against invading phages
In the fight to find better treatments for bacterial infections, one rapidly evolving therapy uses a group of viruses called bacteriophages (phages). Phages can attack and kill da…
Precisely patterned molecular threads boost neuron growth and synapse formation in cell cultures
Northwestern University scientists have developed remarkably long, precisely patterned molecular threads that could open new possibilities for designing advanced materials. The sc…
Growth in milk boosts Staph bacteria's resistance to antibiotics, experiments reveal
Staphylococcus aureus is frequently found in human and veterinary infections. It is named for the golden-yellow pigment it produces, which contributes to its virulence and protect…
Sea change: WildFin aims to improve fish behavior analysis in the wild
In the first year of her doctoral research, Abigail Grassick collected hours of underwater video as she studied fish communities living on bommies—individual clumps of coral—on th…
What’s Up: October 2026 Skywatching Tips from NASA
A Meteor Shower and the Moon Near the Pleiades See Saturn at opposition, catch the Orionid meteor shower, and watch the Moon pass close to the Pleiades, also known as the Seven Si…
SpaceX launches 4 astronauts on a fast track to the International Space Station
Four astronauts rocketed into orbit Thursday on a space station mission that will stretch until spring, among them a Canadian whose wife will give birth while he's away.
Largest-ever jaguar analysis identifies how populations are connected across the Americas
An international team of researchers has produced the most comprehensive assessment to date of connectivity across the jaguar's range, identifying key habitats and movement corrid…
SpaceX launches crew to ISS successfully: ‘Thanks for an amazing ride’
Jessica Watkins, the first Black woman to lead a crew to orbit, is making her second trip to the space stationFour astronauts rocketed into orbit on Thursday on a space station mi…
Urban environments may be the ultimate training grounds for invasive species
As cities grow and urban sprawl expands, could these changing landscapes be giving invasive species a competitive edge? Scientists at the University of Florida Institute of Food a…
Sex-like DNA exchange in starving bacteria occurs over 100 times more often than spontaneous mutations
How do bacteria adapt when resources run low? ISTA researchers have found that, under starvation stress, E. coli can use bacteriophages and CRISPR-Cas immunity to transfer and inc…
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 Launches to International Space Station
Four crew members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 mission launched at 11:10 a.m. EDT Thursday from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida for a science …
The Colorado River is shrinking. What happens next?
Lake Mead is at its lowest level since it was filled nearly 90 years ago, Lake Powell also at a historic lowIt was 42C (108F) degrees as we motored across Nevada’s Lake Mead in ou…
Stable salts unlock alternative to potentially explosive reagents in carbene chemistry
Many useful reactions in chemistry come with a trade-off: the reactive reagents that make them effective can also present practical and safety challenges. Carbene chemistry is one…
Chimps plunder less pineapple from friends—and expect them to do the same
In recent years, scientists have shown that chimpanzees favor certain peers by picking whom they prefer to groom and selectively sharing food. The behavior offers a glimpse into h…
Underlying causes of recurrent bacterial vaginosis identified by Australian scientists
Melbourne researchers behind previous BV transmission breakthrough turn attention to understanding why some cases are harder to cure Australian scientists have identified two cont…
Matt Kean warns climate crisis ‘isn’t someone else’s problem’ as largest coal project in NSW history greenlit
Exclusive: Climate Change Authority chair says planning commission did not account for climate-related economic damage in NSWSign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton…
Catalog of mitochondria across life's family tree unearths unusual functions
A research consortium has generated the broadest look yet at the proteins that make up mitochondria, capturing the organelle's diversity across multiple branches on the tree of co…
Eye-eating amoeba resists treatment—understanding its biochemistry could help
In water, soil and air all around us lives a free-living, single-celled organism called Acanthamoeba. Most of the time, Acanthamoeba keeps to itself. On rare occasions, though, th…
Following ancient rain toward life-related chemistry clues on Mars
The Mars we know today is a cold, dry world of dust and rocks. However, around 3.8–3.6 billion years ago, it may have looked very different. Geological and mineral evidence sugges…
Exploring the shapes of exotic nuclei
In the conventional diagram of an atom, the center depicts a nucleus—a spherical cluster of protons and neutrons. But that sphere is a simplification: nuclei can deform into exoti…
A cleaner X-ray view of our galactic center's hot mess
The center of the Milky Way galaxy is a chaotic place. In addition to the 4-million-solar-mass black hole known as Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), the region is full of gas, dust, strong…
Citizen science project recruits volunteers to search for undiscovered black holes
Cosmic detectives are being called on for an interstellar mission to hunt down thousands of invisible black holes lurking in our own backyard. Space scientists from the University…
Chameleon embryos reveal early developmental feature once thought unique to mammals
Before most women know they're pregnant, an embryo has already begun organizing itself into the structures that will shape a developing body. Scientists have few opportunities to …
NASA’s Webb Provides Crash Course on Planet-Shattering Collisions
In the early history of our solar system, scientists theorize that a Mars-sized object called Theia smashed into the infant Earth, vaporizing massive amounts of rock and blasting …