Science
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…
Why monkeys handle conflicts better than we do
Conflicts with our colleagues, loved ones or team members can quickly stifle communication, heighten tensions and undermine relationships. However, a decision or compromise is not…
Rethinking liquid hydrogen storage with metal-organic frameworks
Liquid hydrogen (LH₂) is attractive for long-distance energy transport because of its high volumetric energy density. But even well-insulated tanks cannot completely prevent heat …
How a new textile fabric could triple production in strawberry plants
A new textile used to cover strawberry plants more than tripled fruit yields in tunnel field tests without harming plant health. The technology could also significantly reduce wat…
Wild tomatoes still hold the flavor we bred away: New map shows breeders where to look
Modern tomatoes are a breeding success story. Generations of selection have made them bigger, firmer, more productive and easier to ship. But that progress came at a cost. Domesti…
Environmentalists Sue Federal Agencies Over Nation’s First Fast-Tracked Critical Minerals Mine
In the foothills of southern Arizona’s Patagonia Mountains, atop so-called critical minerals such as zinc, is South32’s Hermosa project. The first mine added to a federal program …
Light-driven nickel catalyst forms chemical bonds using less metal
Pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, and agrochemicals are produced industrially using a wide range of chemical reactions. These processes need to become more efficient, less expensiv…
Molecular simulations reveal how an enzyme's shape guides molecular recognition
Enzymes are often described as molecular machines that recognize and process specific molecules. However, they are not rigid structures. Their shapes can change, affecting how mol…
NASA Opens 2027 Human Lander Challenge for Lunar Communications
NASA’s 2027 Human Lander Challenge is seeking ideas from college and university students to help address one of the most critical needs for sustained lunar exploration: reliable c…
Physics-grounded AI framework aims to make predictions about new materials more testable
Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to discover new materials, but conventional data-driven approaches can struggle to explain their predictions, work reliably beyo…
New index links changing ocean food webs to Bermuda's spiny lobster fishery
Spiny lobster larvae spend six to nine months drifting in the open ocean, feeding within the plankton community, before eventually settling into shallow-water habitats such as man…