Conservation planning 'good for biodiversity and business'
The Northern Territory's investment in solar and wind energy production needs to benefit people and the planet, but new research highlights critical pitfalls in planning.
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Hawaii's Kilauea volcano puts on spectacular lava display
Hawaii's Kilauea was spraying a spectacular fountain of lava on Monday, keeping up its reputation as one of the world's most active volcanoes.
Disaster losses drop in 2025, picture still 'alarming': Munich Re
Natural disaster losses worldwide dropped sharply to $224 billion in 2025, reinsurer Munich Re said Tuesday, but warned of a still "alarming" picture of extreme weather events likely driven by climate change.
Recovering tropical forests grow back nearly twice as fast with nitrogen
Young tropical forests play a crucial role in slowing climate change. Growing trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air, using photosynthesis to build it into their roots, trunks, and branches, where they can store carbon for decades or even centuries. But, according to a new
Open-sourcing the future of food: New cell bank makes cultivated-meat tech public
For the last two years, the cultivated meat industry has been experiencing growing pains. Many startups have shrunk, shut down, or pivoted. Their advances aren't going to waste, though.
Scientists discover what’s linking floods and droughts across the planet
Scientists tracking Earth’s water from space discovered that El Niño and La Niña are synchronizing floods and droughts across continents. When these climate cycles intensify, far-apart regions can become unusually wet or dangerously dry at the same time. The study also found a
This new sugar tastes like the real thing without the usual downsides
Scientists at Tufts have found a way to turn common glucose into a rare sugar that tastes almost exactly like table sugar—but with far fewer downsides. Using engineered bacteria as microscopic factories, the team can now produce tagatose efficiently and cheaply, achieving
MIT’s smart pill confirms you took your medicine
MIT engineers have developed a pill that can wirelessly report when it’s been swallowed. Inside the capsule is a biodegradable antenna that sends a signal within minutes of ingestion, then safely dissolves. The system is designed to work with existing medications and could help
A shocking amount of plastic is floating in city air
Plastic pollution is not just in oceans and soil. Scientists have now found enormous amounts of microscopic plastic floating through urban air, far exceeding earlier estimates. Road dust and rainfall play a major role in moving these particles through the atmosphere. The
Racial bias is at play in overrepresentation of Black youth in Canadian child welfare systems
Researchers who examined Canadian child welfare data found that Black children were not only investigated at a higher rate than their white peers but were also more likely to be taken from their homes, even when the only difference between cases was the child's race.
A new test reveals which antibiotics truly kill bacteria
Some antibiotics stop bacteria from growing without actually killing them, allowing infections to return later. Scientists at the University of Basel created a new test that tracks individual bacteria to see which drugs truly eliminate them. When tested on tuberculosis and
This common dinner rule makes meals more awkward
Waiting to eat when your food arrives first feels polite—but it may be mostly for your own peace of mind. Researchers found people feel far more uncomfortable breaking the “wait until everyone is served” rule than they expect others would feel watching it happen. Even being
Image: Artist's concept of a white dwarf star
A smaller white dwarf star (left) pulls material from a larger star into a swirling accretion disk in this artist's concept released Nov. 19, 2025, to illustrate the first use of NASA's IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarization Explorer) to study a white dwarf star.
A Billion-Year-Old Piece of Sky Locked Within Ancient Salt Crystals
Here’s what was in the air during the so-called “Boring Billion” The post A Billion-Year-Old Piece of Sky Locked Within Ancient Salt Crystals appeared first on Nautilus .
Oak-killing beetle significantly expanding range in SoCal
A tiny beetle responsible for killing hundreds of thousands of oak trees in Southern California has reached Ventura County, marking a troubling expansion.
Happiness, autonomy and wealth: Worldwide analysis reveals a nuanced relationship
Happiness and well-being depend on how much volition, choice and control people feel they have over their life—their sense of autonomy. Researchers have acknowledged this connection, but there's been disagreement about whether it's universal or simply a reflection of the
Plastic pellets known as 'nurdles' are polluting beaches and waterways
Aboard an aluminum skiff or one of her five kayaks, fourth-generation shrimper and fisherwoman Diane Wilson often plies the coastal bays and streams near her tiny hometown of Seadrift, Texas.
Yeast DNA changes reveal hidden triggers for cancer-linked chromosome chaos
Changes in genes have been linked to the development of different diseases for a while. However, it's not exactly clear what the mechanisms, or the causes behind those specific genetic changes, are. Recent studies using fission yeast, which can act as an ideal model for human
Gamma rays quickly toughen nitrogen‑fixing bacteria
Heat-resilient biofertilizers could help crops cope with rising temperatures but engineering them has been slow and uncertain. A new study at the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) shows that pairing experimental evolution with controlled gamma-ray
EPA opposes Colorado plan to close coal-fired power plants
On Jan. 9, The Environmental Protection Agency determined Colorado cannot order the closure of coal-fired power plants under the Clean Air Act, and, therefore, the agency will deny the state's plan to reduce the haze that clouds views at Rocky Mountain National Park and other
Not just 'eunuchs' or sex workers: In ancient Mesopotamia, gender-diverse people held positions of power
Today, trans people face politicization of their lives and vilification from politicians, media and parts of broader society.
Astronaut Brains Change Shape in Space
New research reveals spaceflight is literally mind-bending The post Astronaut Brains Change Shape in Space appeared first on Nautilus .
Space Exploration Speaks to the Core of Who We Are
Astrobiologist Caleb Scharf’s 3 greatest revelations while writing his latest book, The Giant Leap The post Space Exploration Speaks to the Core of Who We Are appeared first on Nautilus .
We’re Evolving Beyond This Rock Right Now
Life is already busy making its transition to being interplanetary The post We’re Evolving Beyond This Rock Right Now appeared first on Nautilus .
El Niño and La Niña synchronize global droughts and floods, study finds
Water extremes such as droughts and floods have a huge impact on communities, ecosystems, and economies. Researchers with The University of Texas at Austin have turned their attention to tracking these extremes across Earth and have discovered what is driving them.
What most corporate carbon reports get wrong, and how to fix them
A new Stanford-led analysis of corporate carbon disclosures finds that companies undercount emissions from their supply chains by billions of tons.
Atmospheric physicists find error in widely cited Arctic snow cover observations
For decades, the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has offered a snapshot of the planet's changing climate—but University of Toronto researchers have found that some of the underlying data underrepresents a key driver of Arctic warming.
How Brain Waves Shape Your Sense of Self
It’s all a matter of timing The post How Brain Waves Shape Your Sense of Self appeared first on Nautilus .
Fruit flies' embryonic stage reveals that climate adaptation begins early
As the climate changes, scientists are concerned about how well plants and animals will adapt to rapid warming. A new University of Vermont study has explored the early embryonic life stage of a globally common fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, looking at how the eggs
Robotic nanoprobe enables precise extraction of a single mitochondrion from a living cell
Mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with various chronic diseases and cancers, including neurodegenerative diseases and metabolic syndrome. Gently extracting a single mitochondrion from within a living cell—without causing damage and without the guidance of fluorescent
Designer enzyme enables yeast to produce custom fatty acids, reducing need for palm oil
Whether they are laundry detergents, mascara, or Christmas chocolate, many everyday products contain fatty acids from palm oil or coconut oil. However, the extraction of these raw materials is associated with massive environmental issues: Rainforests are cleared, habitats for
Fungal mechanism reveals how powdery mildew overcomes wheat immune defenses
Cereals have natural resistance to pathogenic fungi, but powdery mildew, for example, can overcome this resistance. A team at the University of Zurich has now discovered a new mechanism that enables powdery mildew to outsmart the immune system of wheat. This opens the door to
How E. coli exploit fluid flow and channel shape to swim upstream and cause infections
"The UN estimates that by 2050, common bacterial infections could kill more people than cancer," says Arnold Mathijssen, a biophysicist at the University of Pennsylvania who studies how active particles like bacteria move in fluidic systems. "Bacteria are remarkably fast,
Open-source model more accurately measures greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas
McGill engineering researchers have introduced an open-source model that makes it easier for experts and non-experts alike to evaluate greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. natural gas supply chains and yields more accurate results.
Designing atomic coordination for sustainable hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis
By fine-tuning the surroundings of single cobalt atoms, researchers reveal how tiny design changes can steer oxygen reactions toward cleaner and more efficient hydrogen peroxide production.
Take a Look at the Hairy Mouthparts of a Queen Bee
They’re actually what sets her apart from her worker bees The post Take a Look at the Hairy Mouthparts of a Queen Bee appeared first on Nautilus .
An AI-driven strategy to accelerate microbial gene function discovery
We know the genes, but not their functions—to resolve this long-standing bottleneck in microbial research, a joint research team has proposed a cutting-edge research strategy that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to drastically accelerate the discovery of microbial gene
Tiny Mars's big impact on Earth's climate: How the red planet's pull shapes ice ages
At half the size of Earth and one-tenth its mass, Mars is a featherweight as far as planets go. Yet new research reveals the extent to which Mars is quietly tugging on Earth's orbit and shaping the cycles that drive long-term climate patterns here, including ice ages.
How marine viruses help fuel underwater oxygen-rich zones
Newly published interdisciplinary research led by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and University of Maryland shows that viral infection of blue-green algae in the ocean stimulates productivity in the ecosystem and contributes to a rich band of oxygen in the water.
Surface ceramics reveal self-sufficient rural economy in Ancient Samos
An international team of researchers has uncovered hidden clues about life in the hills of ancient southwest Samos, Greece.
Queen bumblebees are poor foragers thanks to sparse tongue hair
The density of fine hairs on bumblebees’ tongues determines how much nectar they can collect — and workers put queen bees to shame.
When Fake Nuclear Disaster Fallout Reached Los Angeles
A 1965 test revealed how people would fare if a nuclear rocket launch went wrong The post When Fake Nuclear Disaster Fallout Reached Los Angeles appeared first on Nautilus .
Plastic—when a miracle technology becomes a burden
Plastic is everywhere in modern society. While it has paved the way for enormous progress, the pollution it leaves behind is now creating major challenges.
Pompeii’s public baths were unhygienic until the Romans took over
Before the Romans captured Pompeii, the famous town was run by the Samnite people – and a dip in their public baths might have been an unpleasant experience
Overlooked decline in grazing livestock brings risks and opportunities
For decades, researchers have focused on the problem of overgrazing, in which expanding herds of cattle and other livestock degrade grasslands, steppes and desert plains. But a new global study reveals that in large regions of the world, livestock numbers are substantially
In a new kind of plant trickery, this yam fools birds with fake berries
Black-bulb yam’s mimicry tricks birds into spreading its berrylike clones. The plant's novel strategy helps it spread without seeds or sexual reproduction.
How hidden factors beneath Istanbul shape earthquake risk
The fault beneath Istanbul doesn't behave the way scientists once thought.
Hubble spies stellar blast setting clouds ablaze
This new NASA Hubble Space Telescope image captures a jet of gas from a forming star shooting across the dark expanse. The bright pink and green patches running diagonally through the image are HH 80/81, a pair of Herbig-Haro (HH) objects previously observed by Hubble in 1995.
A new valve for quantum matter: Steering chiral fermions by geometry alone
A collaboration between Stuart Parkin's group at the Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics in Halle (Saale) and Claudia Felser's group at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids in Dresden has realized a fundamentally new way to control quantum
Sick Astronaut on ISS Forces Early Transfer of Command from NASA Crew Member to Russian Cosmonaut
NASA astronaut and ISS leader Mike Fincke transferred station command to a Russian cosmonaut ahead of an unprecedented medical evacuation