Moon race: How China is challenging the US
Walking on the moon by 2030, building a lunar base, and then perhaps on to Mars: after 30 years of honing its expertise, China is challenging the United States' supremacy in spaceflight.
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'Ghost forests' could be key to understanding coastal resilience to climate change
Rising sea levels are contributing to a phenomenon called "ghost forests," which are groups of dead and dying standing trees that have been drowned by intruding saltwater. And all along the eastern U.S. where there used to be vibrant green trees, clusters of bare gray trunks
Nitrile and latex gloves may cause overestimation of microplastics in the lab
Nitrile and latex gloves that scientists wear while they are measuring microplastics may lead to a potential overestimation of the tiny pollutants, according to a University of Michigan study, published in Analytical Methods.
Vivid dreams may be the secret to deeper, more restful sleep
Vivid dreams might be doing more than just entertaining your mind at night. Researchers found that immersive dreaming can actually make sleep feel deeper and more refreshing, even when brain activity is high. Surprisingly, people reported their deepest sleep after intense dream
Scientists found a bug that generates its own heat in freezing cold
Snow flies have an unexpected way of surviving freezing temperatures. They produce antifreeze proteins to block ice formation and can even generate their own heat. Scientists also found that their genes are unusually unique, and they feel less cold-related pain than other
Scientists open a million-year-old time capsule beneath New Zealand
Deep inside a cave, scientists uncovered fossils from 16 species, including a newfound kākāpō ancestor that may have been able to fly. These remains reveal that New Zealand’s ecosystems were constantly disrupted by volcanic eruptions and rapid climate shifts. Long before
Decoding the complete genome of the fungus responsible for Cercospora leaf spot in olive trees
Collaboration between the UCO's Agronomy and Genetics departments was key to sequencing the genome of this pathogen, which is responsible for losses of up to €50 million per year. Cercospora leaf spot is an olive tree disease that causes defoliation and lower yields. It is
How plants stop growing to survive stress: Retired scientist's persistence reveals insight to boost farm yields
UC Riverside researchers have identified a mechanism that allows plants to rapidly slow growth in response to extreme environmental stress. The finding could help farmers grow more resilient crops, and one researcher continued the work years into retirement to uncover it.
New study outlines privacy solution for retail central bank digital currencies
New research shows that retail central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) can be designed to protect user privacy, one of the biggest concerns surrounding the future of digital money. Professor Iwa Salami of the University of East London and Professor William Buchanan of Edinburgh
New research suggests deadly bat fungus is more widespread in western Canada than previously known
Scientists at McMaster University have uncovered new evidence that the fungus causing white-nose syndrome, a deadly disease affecting bats, may be more widespread in Western Canada than existing testing methods reveal. In their paper published in the Journal of Fungi, the
Organocatalytic strategy provides a metal-free route to antiviral candidates
A research team led by Prof. Sun Jianwei has achieved an advancement in organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry by developing an air-stable chiral phosphine-catalyzed enantioselective approach to synthesize enantioenriched S(IV)-stereogenic vinyl sulfinamides—an
From tropics to poles: How Pacific Ocean warming sets the stage for Antarctic stratospheric changes months later
The tropical Pacific Ocean and the frozen expanse of Antarctica sit more than 10,000 kilometers apart. Yet new research shows that when surface waters warm near the equator in northern winter, the Antarctic stratosphere responds months later—a delayed reaction that could
Need to parent differently now that your kid's a teen or tween? Five techniques that actually work
As your child approaches their teenage years, they'll want more independence, their emotions will run higher and you might see more disagreements in your household.
Distant galaxy fades 20-fold in just two decades, challenging how supermassive black holes evolve
An international team led by a researcher at the Chiba Institute of Technology has discovered an extremely rare phenomenon: a galaxy about 10 billion light-years away whose brightness dropped to one-twentieth of its original level in just 20 years. By combining multiwavelength
Most mass spectrometers handle a few molecules. This new prototype handles billions
A new prototype could supercharge mass spectrometry by analyzing thousands of molecules at once instead of one by one. The breakthrough boosts sensitivity enough to reveal rare, hidden molecules—potentially transforming fields like drug discovery and single-cell biology.
Ice Age animals and slice of Earth history found in central Texas water cave
A paleontologist from The University of Texas at Austin has discovered the fossilized remains of Ice Age animals that have never been found in Central Texas before—and he came across the bones while snorkeling for fossils in an underground stream. The new fossils are from a
Contaminated aquatic sediments can be remediated on site using new methods
The bottom sediment of water bodies is an archive of all human activity. It is a reservoir of nutrients but also of harmful substances—and it can also turn into a source of emissions. "Most lakes tend to be remediated due to eutrophication. Water bodies have also been
Cold weather linked to 40,000 extra heart deaths each year in the U.S.
When temperatures plunge, the risk to your heart rises dramatically. A large U.S. study shows cold weather is linked to far more cardiovascular deaths than heat, accounting for tens of thousands of extra deaths each year. Scientists found the safest temperature sits around
Hearing research traces evolution of key inner ear protein
In the intricate machinery of the inner ear, hearing begins with a protein that moves a few billionths of a meter up to 100,000 times per second. That protein, called TMC1, sits at the tips of sensory hair cells deep in the snail-shaped cochlea. When sound waves move these
Marsh soils: Biodiversity fostered by self-organization
In the heart of the Marais Poitevin regional nature park, the second-largest wetland in France, a scientific team led by a CNRS researcher has demonstrated the ability of clay soils to self-organize into geometric patterns. Known as mottureaux, these microreliefs, similar to
Community music education a key youth well-being strategy
Improving the well-being of young people is an international priority. The World Health Organization has reported that suicide is now the third leading cause of death for young people aged 15 to 29-years-old globally, and is strongly correlated to youth mental illness.
Samuel Pepys censored his links to slavery, new study reveals
The fact that Samuel Pepys owned at least two enslaved people in 17th-century London is no secret. In some of his personal letters he was unashamedly open about this. In September 1688, he told a ship's captain that neither "whipping or fetters" had reformed a "mischievous"
Silicon nanospheres boost WS₂ second-harmonic generation 40-fold while preserving polarization
A research team has demonstrated that silicon nanospheres can strongly enhance second-harmonic generation (SHG) from an atomically thin semiconductor while preserving the circular polarization information tied to its valley degree of freedom. The study, published in Nano
If using ChatGPT is cheating, what about ghostwriting? The old debate behind a new panic
In February 2023, a little more than a year after the launch of ChatGPT, Vanderbilt University sent an email to its student body in the wake of a fatal campus shooting at Michigan State.
Seismic activity in California varies with the seasons
Earthquakes occur when the tectonic plates of the Earth's crust shift, jolting past each other in a release of built-up tension. However, other natural forces can also influence seismic activity: Hydrological dynamics, like changes in groundwater and snowpacks, in particular,
AI tool predicts wildfire danger faster than current systems
A wildfire forecasting system powered by artificial intelligence (AI) could help detect dangerous fire conditions earlier and reduce the cost of wildfire response, according to new research from Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha, University of Canterbury (UC). The work is published in
Advanced dating method reveals age of Pacific coral architecture
Application of an advanced dating technique establishes the first precise construction timeline for houses built out of coral in French Polynesia. The findings reveal previously hidden patterns of architectural development and cultural life in Pacific societies.
'Cool' detectors cut neutrino mass upper limit by an order of magnitude
Their mass is extremely low, but how light are neutrinos really? A collaboration comprising German and international research groups has optimized its experiments to determine the mass of these "ghost particles." In doing so, they succeeded in further adjusting downward the
Tourism work builds 100 transferable skills, study shows
People working in tourism and hospitality develop more than 100 transferable skills—from empathy and resilience to problem-solving and communication—that are in demand across every sector of the economy, according to research from the University of Surrey that has already
Webb and Hubble share the most comprehensive view of Saturn to date
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and Hubble Space Telescope have teamed up to capture new views of Saturn, revealing the planet in strikingly different ways. Observing in complementary wavelengths of light, the two space observatories provide scientists with a richer, more
Microtubules discovered to play an active role in correctly distributing chromosomes during cell division
Microtubules, the dynamic filaments that form the cell's internal scaffolding, have long been viewed as mere passive structural supports. But a new study reveals they play a far more active signaling role. The findings, published in Science Advances, demonstrate that
Hooking big fish in warming oceans comes with a catch
When it comes to fishing, reeling in the biggest one is often the goal. But as it turns out, leaving the largest and oldest fish in the water can help entire fish populations cope better with ocean warming—and the benefits can last for generations.
Why no individual is like another when epigenetics come into play
Why do animals behave differently, and what are the consequences of this? A research team from the Collaborative Research Center NC³ at Bielefeld University and the University of Münster now provides a new explanation: epigenetic processes—chemical markings on DNA—may play a
How We Walk Might Reveal Our Risk of Death
Another good reminder to keep a pep in your step The post How We Walk Might Reveal Our Risk of Death appeared first on Nautilus .
Laser-modified graphene enables molecule-thick films to grow only where needed
Researchers from the University of Jyväskylä and Aalto University have developed a new method based on laser modification, which allows metal-organic materials to be grown locally one molecule-thick layer at a time. The method enables the precise construction of films of
Protein modification discovery opens cancer therapy possibilities
A research team led by Purdue University's W. Andy Tao has discovered a new type of protein modification related to cellular mutation that impairs a crucial enzyme's ability to help drive energy processes. Their discovery, published in Nature Chemistry, opens a new route to
Urban AI should not be understood as a single, inevitable next stage of the smart city, say researchers
Jun Zhang and colleagues have published a new article in Urban Geography arguing that urban AI should not be understood as a single, inevitable next stage of the smart city. Instead, it shows that AI urbanism is a contested political and discursive formation—a set of
Topological solitons power a chip-scale frequency comb source
Caltech scientists have developed a new way to produce optical frequency combs—important tools in devices that keep time and measure distances very precisely—at the chip scale, an advance that should make it easier to incorporate such combs in optical devices and more practical
Motivations behind violent extremism uncovered in new global study
New research from the University of St Andrews has revealed that human readiness for intergroup violence is not a single or unified mindset. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the new study, spanning 58 countries and involving more than 100
Scientists engineer a 'Trojan Horse' to conquer aggressive brain cancer
Scientists from National Taiwan University (NTU) and Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (CGMH) have developed a precision-engineered nanoplatform to conquer glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive and deadly form of brain cancer. Treating glioblastoma is notoriously difficult
RNA-guided CRISPR system activates gene expression
In back-to-back studies published in Nature, researchers from Purdue University and Columbia University report a naturally evolved gene-editing system that can activate genes, offering an advantage over existing CRISPR gene-editing systems that merely find and cut DNA. The
Is nectar naturally spiked? What widespread low-level ethanol could mean for pollinators
As bees and hummingbirds flit from flower to flower, greedily sipping nectar in exchange for pollination, the animals often get another treat: alcohol. In the first broad analysis of the alcohol content of flower nectars, University of California, Berkeley biologists found
Celluloid: The story of the plastic that made Hollywood
History can sometimes take an unexpected turn. One of these curious, revolutionary twists came in the mid-19th century, when the tale of an unassuming everyday object—the billiard ball—ended in cinematic proportions.
Meta and YouTube fined $3 million for harming mental health
In a landmark trial, social media giants Meta and YouTube were found negligent and ordered to pay for harming a user's mental health. The decision could force major changes in how social platforms work
Importance of sublimation for the Rocky Mountain snowpack highlighted in study
This past winter, the Rocky Mountains experienced an historic snow drought, a worrying development for the tens of millions of people in the arid American West who depend on snowmelt for water. Now, a new study in the journal Geology investigates the geologic history of a
Making quantum vibrations nonlinear to enable phonon-phonon interactions
Phonons are the quantum units of mechanical vibration. They describe how motion propagates through a solid at the smallest possible scales, in much the same way that electrons describe electric currents. Because phonons can be exceptionally stable and sensitive, they are used
NASA releases stunning new Saturn images—and the gas giant has never looked so good
New images captured by the Hubble and James Webb space telescopes show Saturn in both visible and infrared light
What the historic snow drought means for water, wildfires and the future of the West
Across much of the Western United States, winter 2026 was the year the snow never came. Many ski resorts got by with snowmaking but shut down their winter operations early. Fire officials and water supply managers are worried about summer.
A forest cleanup crew at risk? What hotter Amazon lowlands could mean dung beetles
Dung beetles remove feces from wild animals in forests and thus inhibit the spread of parasites. They work the dung into the soil and thus supply nutrients to plants. They fulfill this task both in European commercial forests and in the Amazon. However, rising temperatures
XRISM clocks hot wind of galaxy M82 at 2 million mph
For the first time, astronomers have directly measured the speed of superheated gas billowing from a cauldron of stellar activity at the heart of M82, a nearby galaxy undergoing an extraordinary burst of star formation. The material is moving more than 2 million miles (over 3
