Metabolic diseases such as obesity, fatty liver, and insulin resistance are rapidly increasing worldwide, but fundamental methods to regulate the process of fat formation remain limited. In particular, once adipocytes (fat cells) are formed, they are difficult to reduce, making
An analysis of data from 200,000 students using a computer-assisted math program supports an optimistic view of skill-focused, mastery-based learning, even with limited use.
Starfish, also known as sea stars, are equipped with an almost alien-like anatomy. Despite lacking a brain, blood, and central nervous system, these odd creatures still have locomotive abilities. The structure of their many flexible tube feet has been well-studied, but it is
For more than 200 years, Nordic Bronze Age rock art has sparked the interest of academics. Yet we still know surprisingly little about the individuals who carved these figures into the rock. A new doctoral dissertation at the University of Gothenburg now turns the spotlight on
Journalist Ira Glass, who hosts the NPR show "This American Life," is not a computer scientist. He doesn't work at Google, Apple or Nvidia. But he does have a great ear for useful phrases, and in 2024 he organized an entire episode around one that might resonate with anyone who
Relationships can feel like both a blessing and the bane of your existence, a source of joy and a source of frustration or resentment. At some point, each of us is faced with a clingy child, a dramatic friend, a partner who recoils at the first hint of intimacy, a volatile
At the heart of our own galaxy, there is a dense thicket of stars with a supermassive black hole at the very center. NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will provide the deepest-ever view of this zone, revealing stars, planets, and unique objects that resist definition.
A severe winter storm that brought crippling freezing rain, sleet and snow to a large part of the U.S. in late January 2026 left a mess in states from New Mexico to New England. Hundreds of thousands of people lost power across the South as ice pulled down tree branches and
Starting school is a big moment in a child's life. It is a time filled with new routines, new people and new places. These changes can also mean it is sometimes a stressful time. But it doesn't have to be.
Gold is generally associated with pyrite (iron disulfide, FeS2), and pyrite-induced gold precipitation is critical to the formation of high-grade gold deposits. However, the role of pyrite in precipitating gold from fluids has not been well understood. Now, using in situ
The House of Lords has voted to back a ban on social media for under-16s, putting pressure on the government ahead of its own upcoming consultation on the matter.
Dark energy is still one of the greatest cosmic mysteries. For all the time, money and telescopes that humanity has used to uncover its nature, scientists are still asking a fundamental question: What is dark energy?
Crystallization is a well-explored natural phenomenon where atoms or molecules arrange themselves into highly organized solid forms called crystals. This phenomenon has been widely utilized across pharmaceutical and agrochemicals industries, as well as in the food industries,
Winter Storm Fern, a rare convergence of Arctic cold and Southwest moisture, seems set to bring Arctic weather to many parts of the U.S. this weekend. With it, storm warnings included familiar messages: slow down, watch for black ice, and assume the sidewalk is plotting against
Phosphorus is crucial for crop growth. But too little can lower crop yields, and too much can lead to pollution downstream. Studies show that some soils are losing phosphorus, while others are accumulating and leaking into waterways, says watershed researcher Monireh Faramarzi.
Across the world, water scarcity is emerging as one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century. Climate change is pushing rivers and aquifers into unprecedented extremes, droughts and floods are intensifying, and demand for freshwater is rising with population growth
A research team from Munich has identified a previously unknown communication mechanism in harvestmen. Five closely related species show species-specific, strongly fluorescent structures on their backs that become especially visible under ultraviolet light. The results suggest
Scientists at the Broad Institute and Mass General Brigham have built a generative AI model that creates short DNA segments that can control gene activity in specific cells. These sequences, called cis-regulatory elements (CREs), make up a large part of the human genome, and
Incidents that make us consider the relationship between humans and wild animals are happening all over Japan, from bear attacks to crop damage by wild animals. How should we interpret the current situation, and how should we respond? Kiyono Mieko, associate professor at the
In recent years, Nepal has been heralded as a global leader in community-based forest conservation. By handing over nearly a third of its nationally owned forest to local villagers in the 1980s, the country reversed years of deforestation and effectively doubled its forest
In sending a car-sized rotorcraft to explore Saturn's moon Titan, NASA's Dragonfly mission will undertake an unprecedented voyage of scientific discovery. And the work to ensure this first-of-its-kind project can fulfill its ambitious exploration vision is underway in some of
Scientists have created the highest resolution map of the dark matter that threads through the universe—showing its influence on the formation of stars, galaxies and planets.
Tracing policy decisions from early America to today, the reports reveal how long-standing choices continue to shape access and outcomes for families.
The development of humans and other animals unfolds gradually over time, with cells taking on specific roles and functions via a process called cell fate determination. The fate of individual cells, or in other words, what type of cells they will become, is influenced both by
Nitrogen pollution is a serious concern for the agriculture industry. Agricultural fertilizers contain nitrogen, an essential nutrient for plant health. However, these fertilizers also produce nitrogen runoff, which occurs when excess nitrogen seeps into the surrounding
When you turn on the tap, you can typically expect clean, safe water to flow out. But behind that simple action lies a complex system of pipes, pumps, governance, and financials that, for millions of Americans, is at risk in the face of climate change.
An interdisciplinary study confirms, for the first time, the oceanographic pathways that transport floating macroalgae from the coastal waters of Southwest Greenland to deep-sea carbon reservoirs, potentially playing a previously underappreciated role in global carbon storage.
A new paper by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) staff details how using popular culture could effectively teach science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) concepts. The paper shares insights from SwRI staff who hosted "Physics of Anime" panels at anime and
Even some 200 years after his death, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's scientific curiosity continues to yield new insights. This has now been demonstrated by biologists at Friedrich Schiller University Jena while closely examining the amber collection of the Weimar poet and
A Florida State University economics professor's latest research offers a new perspective on the long-held belief that the space race of the 1950s and 60s served as a primary engine for broad American economic growth.
Astronomers may have finally cracked one of the universe’s biggest mysteries: how black holes grew so enormous so fast after the Big Bang. New simulations show that early, chaotic galaxies created perfect conditions for small “baby” black holes to go on extreme growth spurts,
Using the Baryons Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) spectrograph, astronomers have discovered five new carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). This is the first time such stars have been identified in this galaxy. The discovery was reported
At UC Berkeley's Central Sierra Snow Laboratory, located at 6,894 feet above sea level near Donner Pass, researchers collect detailed measurements of the snowpack each day. There is still some snow on the ground to measure, but less than they usually see in late January.
How do consumers choose what to buy on Amazon or what to listen to on Spotify? Do they scroll endlessly through the options, review the ratings or select what is most popular among other viewers? While some studies have examined how product placement and ratings affect consumer
Rising ocean temperatures have been implicated in mass coral bleaching events affecting the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). These events have been increasingly frequent, with major events occurring in 2016, 2017, 2020, 2022, 2024, and 2025. Now, in an unexpected turn of events, it
For decades, sharks have been the unintended victims of longline fisheries aimed at tuna and swordfish. Rising accidental catches have contributed to population declines and created serious challenges for both conservation and commercial fishing. And the impacts go beyond the
One llama is sprawled on the grass with its neck craned, basking in a patch of sunshine. Another stands on a dirt hill, ears flattened defiantly. A third rushes to greet visitors with a friendly nuzzle. This isn't a petting zoo. The furry beasts are in Belgium for work.
An experiment in western China over the past four decades shows that it is possible to tame the expansion of desert lands with greenery, and, in the process, pull excess carbon dioxide out of the sky.
Skeletal muscle stem cells in hibernating Syrian hamsters preserve their ability to function by suppressing their activation during the hibernation period, a research team led by Hiroshima University has shown. This insight may lead to a broader understanding of the maintenance
Vaccines can be a crucial conservation tool. But getting shots to wildlife, and developing them in the first place, is tough.
Webb’s latest image of the Helix Nebula reveals a dramatic close-up of a dying star shedding its outer layers. The detailed view highlights glowing knots of gas shaped by fast-moving stellar winds colliding with older material. Changes in color trace a shift from scorching hot
Researchers have demonstrated that quantum entanglement can link atoms across space to improve measurement accuracy. By splitting an entangled group of atoms into separate clouds, they were able to measure electromagnetic fields more precisely than before. The technique takes
Home fireplaces and wood stoves are quietly driving a large share of winter air pollution, even though only a small number of households rely on wood heat. Researchers found that wood smoke accounts for over one-fifth of Americans’ winter exposure to dangerous fine particles
Stronger El Niño events are more likely when springtime surface waters in the western Pacific Ocean become unusually salty, a new study in Geophysical Research Letters suggests. Traditionally, scientists have focused on temperature and wind patterns to understand El
Solar geoengineering could halve the economic cost of climate change, but stopping it would cause temperatures to rebound sharply, leading to greater damage than unabated global warming
A 5,500-year-old skeleton from Colombia has revealed the oldest known genome of the bacterium linked to syphilis and related diseases. The ancient strain doesn’t fit neatly into modern categories, hinting at a forgotten form that split off early in the pathogen’s evolution.
What’s on the road to the launch of NASA’s Artemis II , how scientists are using artificial intelligence to help stroke patients speak, and what an Indonesian cave art discovery says about early human migration
Columnist Helen Thomson investigates the neurological benefits of saunas, and how heat therapy can have anti-inflammatory effects throughout the body
Cancer doesn’t evolve by pure chaos. Scientists have developed a powerful new method that reveals the hidden rules guiding how cancer cells gain and lose whole chromosomes—massive genetic shifts that help tumors grow, adapt, and survive treatment. By tracking thousands of
Alzheimer’s may destroy memory by flipping a single molecular switch that tells neurons to prune their own connections. Researchers found that both amyloid beta and inflammation converge on the same receptor, triggering synapse loss. Surprisingly, neurons aren’t passive