AI makes rewilding look tame—and misses its messy reality
Humans have always imagined the natural world. From Ice Age cave paintings to the modern day, we depict the animals and landscapes we value—and ignore those we don't.
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Insects in the tropics are already near their heat limits. Climate change could push many beyond survival
Insects make up to 90% of all animal species on the planet, and most of them can be found in the tropics, the regions around the equator. Yet we still know surprisingly little about how these species will cope with rising temperatures driven by climate change.
Two's company: Scientists identify new class of star remnants
In about 5 to 8 billion years, our sun is expected to evolve into a white dwarf—an extremely dense, Earth-sized stellar remnant that has exhausted its fuel and shed its outer layer. But while our sun is a solitary star, research over the past 15 years has demonstrated that
What will NASA’s Artemis II astronauts see on the moon?
The Artemis II crew will spend about six hours on Monday observing the moon. Here’s what they’ll be looking for
Thermal justice: New report examines threat of extreme heat, suggests culturally informed policies
Extreme heat kills more people in the U.S. each year than hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes combined. But how can we address a seemingly natural force? Heat can often seem solely weather-related, with policies trying to find a solution through temperature metrics, cooling
Humans' closest invertebrate ancestors date back much further than thought
Animal life is extraordinarily diverse and complex, having colonized almost all environments on Earth—from hostile hydrothermal vents in the deep sea to the skies across our continents. But the planet was not always teeming with complex animal life. For the first 3.7 billion
Humor helps older adults navigate aging, research suggests
Humor plays a vital role in helping older adults cope with the challenges of aging and staying socially connected, according to new research.
A simple ECG test could flag racehorses at risk of exercise arrhythmias
A quick heart trace taken during a warm-up trot could identify racehorses at risk of cardiac arrhythmias during high-intensity exercise, according to a new study led by the University of Surrey. The screening method analyzes short, routine electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings
How we came to be: Scientists get first look at the evolution of early complex animals
Newly discovered fossils have given scientists their first real glimpse of when Earth made a crucial transition from plants and unrecognizably simple animals to the complex creatures that took over the world and would eventually lead to us.
Why forest loss is making our watersheds leak rain
It's a well-established fact that forests and water are deeply connected. For decades, paired-watershed experiments—a scientific method for evaluating land-use impacts on water quantity or quality—have shown that when we lose forests, the total amount of water flowing through
Microscopic mechanism of 'quantum collapse' in real-world environments uncovered for the first time
A research team has, for the first time in the world, elucidated the microscopic mechanism by which quantum order is lost and collapses in "open quantum environments" existing in nature. Since perfectly isolated quantum systems cannot exist in reality, this study is expected to
New study pinpoints climate conditions for restoring the endangered butternut tree
The butternut tree, a close relative of black walnut prized for its pale wood and wildlife value, is on the brink of disappearing from North American forests. A new study from Virginia Tech offers hope that the species could regain its foothold with help from modern data
Do narcissists ruin relationships over time? A six-year study suggests a more complex pattern
New research from Michigan State University challenges the popular assumption that narcissists gradually damage their relationships over time.
New insights into hornification could strengthen the future of paper production
When paper dries and is subsequently rewetted, its properties change permanently. This phenomenon is known as hornification. New research now shows that the process is more complex than previously assumed, and that temperature, humidity, and fiber type all play decisive roles.
Iridium's hidden surface chemistry may change how hydrogen and chlorine are made
Iridium is a key component in many electrochemical technologies used for chemical transformations. These include producing hydrogen fuel from water, manufacturing chlorine from seawater for use as a disinfectant and extracting metals from their ores. Yet scientists still know
Artemis mission shares office space—and physics—with Apollo
As four astronauts whiz toward a flyby of the moon, looking out for them are mission control experts using cutting-edge technology and lessons learned from the Apollo program 50 years ago.
Trump administration proposes massive budget cuts to science
The White House budget proposal would also curb federal payments for scientific publishing
Our modern vision evolved from an ancient one‑eyed worm creature
It's easy to take our eyes for granted. But our recent research shows they took an incredible evolutionary journey to reach their current familiar form.
Where is Artemis II now? NASA mission is now closer to moon than Earth
The third day of the Artemis II mission was relatively quiet, as four astronauts trek out to fly around the moon
58 tortillas, five hot sauces and one toilet: life aboard spacecraft Orion
They're sipping smoothies, snapping phone pics, dealing with crashed email and fixing broken toilets: astronauts, they're just like us.
Binge drinking just once a month may triple your risk of liver scarring
Many people think that occasional binge drinking is harmless if they otherwise drink in moderation, but new research suggests that assumption may be dangerously wrong. A large U.S. study found that people with metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a
Most U.S. states are warming but not in the way you think
Warming across the U.S. is far more uneven than it looks at first glance. While only about half of states show rising average temperatures, most are heating up in specific ways—like hotter highs or warmer lows. These hidden shifts vary by region, with the West seeing more
NASA's water-hunting tool will help scout moon's South Pole
NASA is joining international partners to hunt for ice on the moon in support of future human exploration. The agency is providing a water-detecting instrument, the Neutron Spectrometer System (NSS), to the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) mission led by JAXA (Japan Aerospace
The mathematical formula that reveals when Easter is every year
You can track the start of spring and the phases of the moon—or you can turn to a formula by mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss
These overlooked brain cells may control fear and PTSD
Astrocytes, once thought to be mere brain “support cells,” are now revealed to be key players in fear memory. Researchers found they actively help form, recall, and weaken fear responses by interacting with neurons in real time. Changing astrocyte activity directly altered how
Artemis astronauts more than halfway to Moon, putting Earth in rearview
The Artemis 2 astronauts have passed the halfway point between Earth and the moon on Saturday as they sped toward a planned lunar flyby, with NASA releasing initial images of Earth taken from inside the Orion spacecraft.
Canadian astronaut describes 'phenomenal' Artemis journey
Artemis 2 astronaut Jeremy Hansen felt like he was "falling out of the sky" as his spacecraft followed its complex flight path to the moon, the Canadian said in a Saturday video call.
Artemis II's moonbound astronauts capture Earth's brilliant blue beauty as they leave it behind
The Artemis II astronauts have captured our blue planet's brilliant beauty as they zoom ever closer to the moon.
Orcas never seen before in Seattle delight whale watchers with a visit
When tourists travel to Seattle, it's common to take in the Space Needle and the downtown skyline from Puget Sound.
MXene breakthrough boosts conductivity 160x with perfect atomic order
A new breakthrough is transforming MXenes—ultra-thin, high-tech materials—into something far more powerful and precise. Researchers have developed a cleaner, more controlled way to build these materials using molten salts and iodine, eliminating the messy chemical processes
Dying stars are devouring giant planets, astronomers discover
Dying stars may be wiping out nearby giant planets as they expand into red giants. Astronomers found that these close-in planets become increasingly rare around more evolved stars, suggesting many have already been swallowed. The likely cause is a gravitational tug that drags
Students found a star from the dawn of the universe drifting into the Milky Way
A group of undergraduate students stumbled into a cosmic time capsule—one of the oldest stars ever discovered—while combing through massive astronomy datasets. What began as a class project quickly turned into a breakthrough when they spotted an extraordinarily “pristine” star
Scientists reveal new blood pressure treatment that works when others fail
A new pill called baxdrostat is showing strong results in lowering dangerously high blood pressure in people who don’t respond to standard treatments. In a large global trial, patients saw their blood pressure drop by nearly 10 mmHg, a meaningful reduction that can
Meteor impacts may have sparked life on Earth, scientists say
Asteroid impacts may have helped kick-start life on Earth by creating hot, chemical-rich environments ideal for early biology. These impact-generated hydrothermal systems could have lasted thousands of years—long enough for life’s building blocks to form. Scientists now think
Saturn’s magnetic field is twisted and scientists just figured out why
Saturn’s magnetic field isn’t the smooth, symmetrical shield scientists see around Earth. Instead, it’s noticeably skewed, and researchers now think they understand why. By analyzing years of data from the Cassini spacecraft, scientists found that a key region where solar