Science
Maxwell's demon learns to turn concealed information into usable energy for microscopic systems
Since its introduction more than 150 years ago, the thought-provoking idea of Maxwell's demon has profoundly shaped our understanding of the relationship between information and e…
Replanted landscapes can look restored while soil fungi still lag behind
With up to 75% of the world's soils degraded, restoration projects try to reestablish functional and biodiverse environments to secure adequate food production, biodiversity, clim…
Finding their sense of direction: Cell movement helps tissues establish polarity
From the hairs on our arms to the microscopic sensory structures of the inner ear, many tissues in the body are built with a clear sense of direction. To build these structures th…
Adaptive molecular convergence more common than previously thought, distant jellyfish relatives reveal
A new study has found that adaptive molecular convergence—the process by which distantly related or unrelated species evolve the same genomic changes—is not as rare as previously …
Glowing liquids could help protect products from counterfeiters using distinctive ultraviolet light signatures
Researchers at Nottingham Trent University have developed room-temperature liquids containing chemical elements that produce distinctive patterns of light. They say the materials …
A distant supercluster of galaxies points to self-interacting dark matter
Seven billion light-years from Earth, there is an unexpected cluster of galaxies. It has two regions in the process of colliding with each other with a combined mass of more than …
No DREAM, fewer offspring: Protein complex may play key role in plant fertility
A protein complex known as DREAM that normally puts the brakes on genes may also be crucial for reproduction in plants, according to new research published in Science Advances.
How to see the Orionid meteor shower 2026 peak this week — and when to look
The Orionids peak around Oct. 21. Here's when and where to look for the best chance of spotting meteors.
Scientists find 'gemstones' in atmosphere of bizarre, scorching-hot 'marshmallow' exoplanet
Using data from the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have unravelled some of the secrets of a bizarre, blisteringly hot exoplanet that has the consistency of marshmallow.
NASA's Hubble spies spiral's edge
This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image features the edge-on, intermediate spiral galaxy NGC 1827, located roughly 37 million light-years away in the constellation Columba, the Dov…
SpaceX thrusters just made a Tesla Roadster 'fly' (and Elon Musk's car is still out there in space)
Tesla just unveiled its new Roadster with a spectacular stunt, using SpaceX thrusters to make the sleek vehicle "fly."
Machine learning analysis of gene regulation reveals new dimension of biological variability
Changes in our genes affect health risks from heart disease to cancer, but how those genes are turned on and off is just as crucial to health. What's more, almost all genes occur …
On this day in space! Oct. 16, 1975: NASA launches the 1st-ever GOES weather satellite to watch Earth from space
On Oct. 16, 1975, NASA launched the first operational GOES weather satellite. Here's why it mattered.
Ancient fungus unlocks secret support system in major food crops that could transform farming practices
Arabidopsis thaliana, a small flowering mustard plant used worldwide as the primary genetic model in plant biology, was long believed incapable of forming relationships with under…
'Dark Matter's' Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly talk S2's marital disintegration and the humility of hanging on wires (interview)
'It makes you think about how you can be a better person in life. And there’s always room for improvement.'
Wind emerges as overlooked factor in ecosystems' carbon uptake and water loss
Wind does more than sway trees. It also plays an important role in determining an ecosystem's water-use efficiency—defined as the amount of carbon an ecosystem absorbs per unit of…
AI designs working molecular scissors that recognize and cut selected protein targets
Proteases are naturally occurring enzymes that break down proteins into peptides and even single amino acids. They are useful in medicine and industrial processes, where they clea…
Artemis II Heat Shield After Splashdown
Shortly after NASA’s Artemis II mission splashed down on April 10, 2026, U.S. Navy divers captured underwater imagery of the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield. In the months after, t…
Elon Musk unveils Tesla's 'flying' car
Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled what he described as a "flying" car, equipped with thrusters, during a livestreamed event at his SpaceX rocket company's facility on Thursday.
Why can you see the moon during the day? This week is the perfect time to find out
You don't have to wait until dark to see the moon. Here's why it appears in broad daylight — and why this week is a particularly good time to spot it.
'Mission: 60s' event promises passport back to the Space Age
Your invitation to revisit the Space Age has arrived.Whether you miss the days when people got dressed up to fly or wish your other ride was a rocket, Mission: 60s has a *space* r…
Physics-guided AI reconstructs hidden patterns inside ultrathin magnets from external fields
To build faster and more energy-efficient computers, researchers need to understand nanoscale magnetic materials. But looking inside these tiny magnets is surprisingly difficult: …
AI reveals a shared language guiding cell development
As an embryo develops from a small cluster of stem cells, those once "blank slate" cells begin to take on more specialized roles like brain, liver or muscle cells and organize the…
7 best places to see the northern lights, according to an aurora chaser
I've chased the northern lights across the Arctic. Here are seven destinations worth considering for your next aurora adventure.