Scientists have uncovered the oldest direct evidence yet that Earth’s tectonic plates were on the move 3.5 billion years ago. By analyzing magnetic fingerprints in ancient rocks, they reconstructed how parts of the planet slowly drifted and even rotated over time. This
Scientists have engineered probiotic bacteria to act as tumor-seeking drug factories. In mice, these bacteria infiltrated tumors and produced a cancer-fighting drug right where it was needed. This targeted approach could make treatments more effective and reduce side effects.
“Forever chemicals” may be affecting kids in ways that last a lifetime. A new study links early PFAS exposure to lower bone density during the teen years, especially in girls. Researchers also found that when exposure happens may play a key role. Reducing exposure during
New research led by James Cook University (JCU) emphasizes that the success of marine protected areas (MPAs) depends largely on understanding and influencing people's behaviors within their borders. The study demonstrates that effective conservation relies on compliance—a
Animals do all sorts of things to attract each other as potential mates. Many birds, for example, produce feathers with elaborate color patterns—from the iridescent plumage of many hummingbirds to the famously brilliant tail of a peacock. Charles Darwin, an early pioneer in the
Across the sciences, researchers are asking why so many scientists leave their fields. A new study from Virginia Tech suggests at least part of the answer may be surprisingly simple. Scientists who feel a stronger sense of belonging in their discipline are more likely to intend
Aging men often lose the Y chromosome in a growing number of their cells—and it may be far more dangerous than once believed. This loss has been linked to heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and shorter lifespans. Researchers suspect Y-less cells may grow faster and disrupt
Most of Europe's original natural forests have been transformed for agriculture and managed forests producing energy, paper, and timber. The few remaining "old-growth" natural forests are relics of the past that illustrate how forests would have looked in the absence of human
New research from the University of East Anglia (UEA) reveals that King Harold's legendary 200-mile march to the Battle of Hastings in 1066 never happened. Instead, the journey was made largely by sea. The findings overturn one of the most iconic stories in English history,
Two University of Victoria (UVic) geologists have integrated field geology with statistical modeling to give scientists a new view of the chemical reactions happening on ocean floors billions of years ago. The revised picture shows that big changes in the carbon cycle were
The building blocks of proteins, amino acids, are essential for all living things. Twenty different amino acids build the thousands of proteins that carry out biological tasks. While some are made naturally in our bodies, others are absorbed through the food we eat.
For more than a century, condensed matter physics has grappled with one of its greatest unsolved challenges: how to build superconductors that operate at room temperature and transmit electricity with no loss. Now, in a paper published in Nature, a team of Harvard physicists
Chosen families are evolving but remain a cherished—and vital—lifeline for many. Mention "communal living" and the image that may spring to mind is the free-love, back-to-the-earth hippy communes of the 1960s, complete with bandannas and fringed suede vests. But communal living
The high-performance semiconductor devices powering smartphone displays, AI computing, EV batteries and more are increasingly incorporating 2D materials to overcome silicon's scaling limits. To optimize these technologies, a University of Michigan Engineering team developed a
When most people think about corals, they imagine a tropical reef with crystal blue water, teeming with colorful fish. But, in the depths of the cold, murky Gulf of Maine, deep-sea corals thrive, feasting on a steady supply of organic matter raining down from the surface ocean.
For half the world's population, the water in their drinking glasses comes from below them. Groundwater also supplies 40% of global irrigation projects. Alarmingly, more than a third of the planet's aquifers, or groundwater basins, are dropping. Declining water tables leave
A new Murdoch University study has found that cold-blooded animals (ectotherms) are unable to adjust physiologically to daily temperature fluctuations, a limitation that could leave them increasingly vulnerable as climate change drives even greater temperature variability.
Climate warming can increase plant growth in permafrost regions by lengthening the growing season, speeding up plant metabolic processes, and allowing deeper root penetration as permafrost thaws. However, the capacity for additional vegetation to offset the carbon released
These paleontologists got crafty The post How a Simulated Dinosaur Nest Revealed Prehistoric Parenting Strategies appeared first on Nautilus .
Researchers at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have developed CarGAP, a chemo-optogenetic tool that uses vitamin B₁₂ and green light to precisely control gap junctions, the microscopic channels enabling direct cell-to-cell communication. This
Two deep-sea amphipod species have been found to live in both hemispheres and share features, according to a new study that boosts our understanding of the biodiversity and evolutionary processes shaping deep-sea ecosystems. Dr. Paige Maroni and Professor Alan Jamieson, from
While parts of New York and New Jersey were "building back better" after Superstorm Sandy, residents of flood-prone public housing in Rockaway, Queens, were left without heat or running water for years.
Nudibranchs are often referred to as the butterflies of the sea. Nudibranchs live worldwide, primarily in warm, shallow marine regions, and stand out for their flamboyant colors and diverse shapes. A team from the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam and
Glittery sea worms and sea squirts fit for "The Lord of the Rings" universe might sound like pure fantasy, but they're very real creatures living in the deep sea. Some of these otherworldly ocean animals are even featured in the latest "Top 10 New Marine Species" list published
A research team from the Center for Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM), the Department of Environmental Process Engineering (UVT) at the University of Bremen and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) has made significant progress toward a self-sufficient Mars mission:
A new study has for the first time elucidated the gut-liver immune regulatory axis jointly maintained by intestinal commensal bacteria and the intestinal endocrine system, and uncovered the fundamental mechanism underlying the body's nonspecific clearance of drug delivery
When’s the last time you thought about your thymus? The post The Shrinking Gland That Helps You Live Longer appeared first on Nautilus .
Scientists at the University of Warwick and University of Exeter have developed a fully fiber-coupled terahertz (THz) imaging system that significantly improves the speed, resolution, and clinical practicality of terahertz imaging. The study, published in Nature Communications,
New observations by a team of US astronomers have cast fresh doubt on whether the lunar surface could host abundant water ice. Publishing their results in Science Advances, a team led by Shuai Li at the University of Hawaii at Manoa has shown that relatively pure ice (making up
"Project Hail Mary," the Ryan Gosling-led adaptation of the best-selling sci-fi novel from Andy Weir, is being praised for putting the science in science fiction. Although aliens, sun-draining microorganisms and galaxy-spanning spaceflight are all a part of the story of a
A court ruling that blocks Trump administration vaccine policy is a win for science. But much work remains to rebuild trust in vaccines.
Tiny pieces of plastic, called microplastics, are showing up everywhere, even in the water in clouds, rain, and snow—and they may be affecting our weather and temperatures. A study published in Environmental Science & Technology and led by Hosein Foroutan, associate professor
They’re an evolutionary feat all of their own The post How Cacti Defy Darwin appeared first on Nautilus .
An astoundingly strong heat wave is not just setting records across the western U.S.— it’s pulverizing them
Every time we do a load of laundry, tiny fibers of polyester escape from our clothes and slip down the drain. These microfibers, so small they can be invisible to the naked eye, are among the most common forms of microplastic in the ocean. Yet, new research published in Journal
Like the males of many animal species, male Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies, a commonly studied lab animal, are aggressive toward one another and even fight when competing for resources such as food and females. Researchers in the lab of David Anderson have been studying
For millennia, sling bullets served as a hand-thrown projectile that could be used to fend off enemies. At Hippos, 70 sling bullets made of lead have been recovered over the course of fieldwork and excavation. However, while many are bare or depict scorpions and thunderbolts,
Ryan Gosling is on a mission to save the sun — and Earth — from star-killing microbes. Science News dissects the science behind the sci-fi movie.
An interview with a behavioral economist about cake, climate change, and cooperation The post Heat Probably Doesn’t Make You More Aggressive appeared first on Nautilus .
When bacteria cells replicate, they do so a little differently than human cells do. They don't undergo mitosis, a splitting that involves construction of spindles to carefully separate the DNA after replication. Instead, they use a process called binary fission, which is faster
Despite polyethylene terephthalate (PET) being one of the most widely recycled plastics, only about 20% of used PET bottles are actually recovered as high-quality raw materials. The majority are transformed into lower-grade fibers or fillers before eventually being discarded.
For her Ph.D. at VUB and KULeuven, Aarushi Caro created a kind of systematics for dendritic cells, a special group of immune cells in the fight against cancer. Until now, there was a lot of confusion about the different types of dendritic cells. "Scientists worldwide use
In a new study, scientists from the universities of Portsmouth and Manchester report that a specially engineered enzyme can significantly speed up the breakdown of PET—the plastic used in water bottles, food packaging and polyester clothing—when it is processed at high
Astronomers have found a 710-metre-wide asteroid that spins once every 1.9 minutes, so fast that it should have spun itself apart
More and more people are turning to AI chatbots as if they were close friends—venting about personal struggles, asking for advice, and even sharing their deepest secrets. These conversations can feel strikingly real, with some users saying they're indistinguishable from
University of Phoenix announces the publication of "Harnessing AI, Virtual Landscapes, and Anthropomorphic Imaginaries to Enhance Environmental Science Education at Jökulsárlón Proglacial Lagoon, Iceland" in Glacies.
A common microbe can wreak havoc once inside cells The post How Gum Disease Can Lead to Breast Cancer appeared first on Nautilus .
Computer simulations can help people gain a better understanding of the situation faced by migrants. This is shown by a new study in which 148 teenagers were assigned random migration pathways, with different start and end points. Along the way, they encountered unforeseen
Autism researchers are working to counter a federal autism advisory panel that they say has vaccine skeptic members and a “striking absence of scientific expertise”
For the second time this year, NASA moved its moon rocket from the hangar out toward the pad Friday in hopes of launching four astronauts on a lunar fly-around next month.
