Science
'Stupendously large black holes' aren't a major component of dark matter, study finds
Black holes more massive than entire galaxies are not a major component of dark matter, the mysterious stuff that's thought to make up most of the matter in the cosmos, a new stud…
Hide-and-seek for treats offers a new window into cognitive decline in dogs
It is tough to watch a dog deal with issues associated with aging. A senior dog that gets lost at home or starts showing more anxiety may be exhibiting signs of dementia. But by t…
What is red crown rot? Expert explains emerging soybean pathogen
Red crown rot, a fungal disease of soybean, is not new to the Midwest. First reported in Illinois in 2018, the disease is now surging across the state and the region. Boris Camile…
Rocket Lab launches 3 'Hawk' satellites to orbit to gather signals intelligence
Rocket Lab launched a trio of private signals-intelligence satellites to orbit today (Oct. 21), the 19th mission of the year for the California-based company.
Space debris: Are we on track for true sustainability? (op-ed)
Space is a critical infrastructure layer, underpinning nearly all systems that enable modern life as we know it. It’s therefore critical to maintain a safe and clean orbital envir…
A Warming Climate Is All Over Alaska’s Senate Race. The Candidates Hardly Mention It.
If you listen to the candidates running for the U.S. Senate seat in Alaska, some of the biggest issues in the race revolve around the state’s fisheries, its oil and gas developmen…
Researchers Find Widespread PFAs Contamination in Florida Waterways
A new report suggests dozens of “forever chemicals” linked with cancer and other human health problems are prevalent in Florida waterways, reflecting widespread contamination of t…
Data Centers Are ‘Front and Center’ in Pennsylvania’s Competitive Congressional Elections
ALLENTOWN, Pa.—In all her 38 years living in South Whitehall Township in the Lehigh Valley, Laurie Gilley had never attended a municipal meeting, much less gotten involved in the …
Light-based method enables precise control of ultrafast electron flow in a scanning tunneling microscope
What would it take to watch an electron move through a material? Researchers would need to see individual atoms and capture an electron's motion at incredibly short timescales. A …
Costly dead-tissue disorder in apples caused by faster growth rates
New research reveals that faster growth rates in Honeycrisp apples increase both the incidence and severity of the "bitter pit" disorder, which is responsible for large-scale frui…
Iris patterns offer a noninvasive way to recognize individual Amazonian treefrogs
Identifying individual animals in the wild has long meant tagging, branding or clipping. For amphibians, the standard approach has often been toe-clipping, a procedure that can af…
A mineral from the inside of planets reveals a surprising lesson: How you push matters
In the deepest region of the Earth's mantle, just above the core, much of the material consists of crystals of magnesium oxide. In larger rocky exoplanets called super-Earths, the…
Can AI really predict cancer survival better than a doctor? I have my doubts | Devi Sridhar
Take a selfie to see how healthy you are: the idea is enticing and this new research is promising. But so many factors have been ignoredThe idea that a single selfie could predict…
India slashes cost of cancer drugs after court rules mark-ups are ‘extortion’
Case filed in 2022 by patient unable to afford medicine leads to cap on drug prices for millions who face ruin if diagnosedThe Indian government has moved to reduce the price of c…
At Cop17, the pressure is on to rescue a deal that could end the destruction of nature
As world leaders struggle to meet deadlines to halt nature loss set four years ago, a rare leopard in host country Armenia offers a symbol of what is at stakeDon’t get Down to Ea…
How citizen science is tracking changes in shorelines around the world
An app and a camera phone are all that’s needed at more than 200 spots to help researchers monitor coastal areasThe shoreline changes with the weather. Tracking these changes over…
‘Bespoke’ mRNA vaccine significantly reduces risk of melanoma recurrence or death, clinical trial shows
Trial results represent ‘foundational shift’ in approach to cancer, allowing scientists to harness immune system in more personalised wayGet our new political email, free app or d…
APOD: 2026 October 23 – Andromeda in Southern Spring
APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 October 23 –… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosm…
Heat killed ‘staggering’ 50,000 people in Europe’s cities this summer, scientists warn
People succumbed to heat at highest rates in Malta, Italy and Hungary, with health issues, loneliness and poverty exacerbating tollHeat killed a record 50,000 people in European c…
Mother bats' hearts beat faster at the sound of their own babies' cries
A mother bat has one crucial challenge: find her own babies among hundreds of other bats in the colony. Making sure she cares for and nurses only her own offspring is important to…
El Niño Then and Now
A 35-year satellite altimetry record lets scientists hold this year’s El Niño up against its strongest predecessors.
In allowing coal expansion in the Hunter, Chris Minns is pouring fuel on the climate fire. His decision will come back to hurt us all | Jack Egan
The high court found NSW is responsible for emissions from burning exported coal. What message does it send when the government can step in and bypass the law?Sign up for climate …
New test measures potentially harmful metals in cellulose food packaging
A technique for detecting potentially harmful metals in regenerated cellulose food packaging is discussed in the International Journal of Environment and Pollution. The new tool c…
Autonomous triangular modules could build tomorrow's mega-observatories
Private companies are getting better at launching more mass into space with larger rockets. But there is still a major constraint on the size of objects we can get into orbit—fair…