Cloudy With a Chance of Incineration: Predicting Weather on Distant Worlds
How scientists decode climate light-years away The post Cloudy With a Chance of Incineration: Predicting Weather on Distant Worlds appeared first on Nautilus .
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Why do flamingos dance while they eat? This scientist found out
Beautiful ripples drew Víctor Ortega Jiménez to feeding flamingos. Unraveling their secret could inspire new ways to filter water.
Sci-fi horror collides with small-town politics in John Scalzi’s Monsters of Ohio
Scientific American talks to author John Scalzi about his tentacle-filled 20th novel, its balance of hope and cynicism—and the possibility of a Chappell Roan crossover
Animal-borne Shamonda virus infects and kills a human for the first time
The potential for a wider outbreak is low, but experts are still investigating how the disease-causing virus leaped from animals to humans in the first place
Why science is on the ballot in the 2026 midterm elections
From Medicare for All to research grants, science-driven issues are playing a role in the midterm elections
Comets probably didn’t deliver life’s building blocks to Earth
Most comets would have hit Earth with too much speed and at too sharp an angle for life-giving molecules to survive impact, a new study suggests.
A simple daily fiber supplement reduced arthritis pain and improved strength
A new clinical trial suggests that a simple daily fiber supplement could significantly reduce knee osteoarthritis pain, improve muscle strength, and make the body less sensitive to pain. Researchers discovered that the benefits may be linked to changes in gut bacteria and the
MapInsights helps police trainees learn the territory
In early 2026, the University of Illinois Division of Public Safety was facing a challenge. It had 11 security guards it planned to convert to community service officers, which meant they would change from being based in one building to working a whole beat.
The autistic brain processes faces differently than scientists thought
A major new study reveals that autistic children’s brains process faces differently, and those differences may begin earlier than scientists previously thought. Researchers found that brain signals associated with recognizing faces become more specialized as neurotypical
Digital tools and 3D printing emerge as key themes in circular economy research
A review of the research literature spanning the years 2020 to 2026 has found that digital technologies, additive manufacturing and resource recovery are major themes in the transition toward a sustainable, circular economy. The work, published in the International Journal of
New election forecast updates predictions every 10 minutes
From Alaska to Texas, the battle for control of the U.S. Senate is unfolding across 35 races. And a new Northwestern University election model is tracking them all—every 10 minutes.
Halloween meets history in many ghostly tourism attractions. Is this a problem?
Halloween, the fall holiday and $13.5 billion industry, lurks around the corner.
Brambles are a problem weed in South Africa, but researchers are closer to finding a natural enemy to manage them
Invasive alien brambles have been spreading across South Africa since the early 1900s, having come from North America and Europe. All brambles fall within the genus Rubus. Their common names in South Africa are braam (Afrikaans), ijingijolo (isiZulu) and monoko-metsi (seSotho).
The asteroid that killed the dinosaurs may have helped ants conquer the world
The asteroid that killed the dinosaurs may have set the stage for ants to conquer the planet, with a surprising boost from “jumping genes” hidden in their DNA. Scientists discovered that bursts of activity from these mobile genetic elements coincided with the rise of major ant
Researchers produce urea in the field using system powered by biobatteries and solar energy
The CONFETI project, coordinated by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), has concluded three years of research with the commissioning of a pilot system capable of producing urea, a nitrogen fertilizer widely used in agriculture, directly in the field using renewable
Researchers discover why some frogs have escaped the current amphibian mass extinction
Amphibians are the most threatened vertebrates on Earth, with 41% of species facing extinction. In the highlands of Central and South America, a killer fungus has wiped out much of the once-abundant amphibian diversity. Yet in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, an isolated
Injuries matter less in the NFL than you think
New research from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management finds that injury matters less in the NFL than is often assumed. With the exception of highly paid quarterbacks, losing players—even the high-dollar ones—to injury is not as fatal to a team's success as one might
Scientists discover the immune system’s hidden sense of touch
Scientists at McGill University have discovered a surprising new ability of immune cells that could change how we understand long-term immunity. Researchers found that T cells can actually sense how stiff their surrounding tissues are, using these physical signals to help
Report indicates water, food and power at risk by strong El Niño
Rainfall reductions of up to 80% and torrential precipitation leading to severe flooding and landslides are the expected consequences across different areas of Latin America and the Caribbean from the impact of the El Niño phenomenon in 2027, according to a report co-authored
Cost overruns aren't just due to incompetence, bureaucracy and bad faith
Nine out of 10 major transportation projects go over their initial budget. This isn't always because of incompetence.
Punishment alone won't help gang‑involved teens—a former child soldier explains why
When Americans hear of child soldiers, they may imagine tragic images of children wielding rifles on distant battlefields.
Climate health harms outpace action, prompting calls for global health emergency
The 2026 Report of The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change finds that many of the health risks and harms of climate change grew faster in the decade since the Paris Agreement was introduced (2016–2025) than in the decade before it (2006–2015).
Decoding the loopy physics of hula hooping with high-tech earthquake sensors
Hula hooping may be literal child's play, but as it turns out, the physics behind the gym-class staple is so complicated that scientists have spent decades trying to understand how the hula hoop defies gravity.
We studied 1,584 data centers—and found the buildings full of machines are tied to modest local job growth
Data centers require enormous investments: land, buildings, computer equipment and power infrastructure. Yet, once they're up and running, they tend to employ no more than a few dozen people in occupations such as IT technicians, engineers and security guards. With billions of
Biodiversity hotspots in southwestern Germany are losing their species richness
Climate change and shifts in land use are affecting habitats and, consequently, plant diversity. To better understand the consequences of these developments, long-term and comprehensive data are essential. The "Floristic Mapping of Baden-Württemberg," coordinated by the
The way Earth's 'thermostat' works may have changed during Pangea era
Life arose on Earth at least 3.5 billion years ago, and our planet has remained habitable ever since—not too hot, not too cold. These life-sustaining conditions are possible in part thanks to a built-in, carbon cycle–based climate "thermostat" that controls the amount of carbon
Identical vesicles, different behaviors: Model reveals how spontaneous asymmetry gives rise to lifelike behavior
In nonreciprocal active matter, agents act differently on each other, seemingly in violation of Newton's third law. This principle can result in various active matter traits, such as self-propulsion, molecular regulation and collective motion.
Can your brain make you see ghosts? The science behind the Bloody Mary legend
It's Halloween night. Someone has dared you to turn off the lights and stand in front of the mirror. The rules are simple: Stare into your reflection and say her name three times.
What Can We Learn About Happiness From the People Who Study It?
Happiness pioneers recently gathered to discuss the good life The post What Can We Learn About Happiness From the People Who Study It? appeared first on Nautilus .
A 'simple recipe' takes some of the guesswork out of mass spectrometry imaging
A small sample of human tissue can hold a remarkable amount of information. Researchers can use it to search for molecular clues associated with cancer, investigate the chemical landscape of the brain or determine where a drug travels after it enters the body. Mass spectrometry
Rubin Observatory reveals its first dwarf planet candidate in our solar system
Scientists may add a new dwarf planet to the official roster of our solar system. The distant, icy body, provisionally dubbed 2026 ED138, orbits our system beyond Pluto. It was spotted earlier this month by a scientist combing through data from the Simonyi Survey Telescope at
3 out of 4 responses to UK smoke-free generation consultation were AI bot-generated
Three-quarters of all the responses to the U.K.'s public consultation in 2023 on creating a smoke-free generation and restricting disposable vape sales were generated by AI bots, finds an analysis of publicly available data and freedom of information requests, published online
Open database tracks Earth's water cycle by standardizing decades of satellite data
All water comes from somewhere. Researchers who want to know where it comes from rely on water isotopes, variants of water molecules with slightly different masses, as location identifiers. In particular, the specific ratio of heavy to light water isotopes is unique to the
Can planting trees on riverbanks save salmon rivers from global warming?
Every summer, Québec rivers increasingly reach water temperature levels that threaten Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Just a few extra degrees can make the difference between a favorable and hostile habitat for this iconic species.
Counteranion captures reactants to boost light-driven chemistry in dilute solutions
Researchers at Kyushu University have developed a photocatalytic system that can selectively capture reacting molecules and hold them close to the active sites that absorb energy from light. This innovation addresses a long-standing challenge of having the photocatalyst
Double debris disk orbiting a dead star hints at our solar system's future
Astronomers using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT) have found a rare disk of debris around a dead star that provides a glimpse of what may happen to our solar system. Unlike in similar systems previously found, the debris—the leftovers of
Bottom trawlers do huge damage to life on undersea mountains. Could an end finally be in sight?
Tens of thousands of underwater mountains dot the ocean floor around the world. A few break the surface, such as the Hawaiian island chain. The rest are seamounts, peaks and pinnacles rising from the deep seafloor. Some lie just a few meters below the surface, while others rest
This Prehistoric Creature is the Only Ocean-Dwelling Amphibian Ever Discovered
It lived in the Triassic muck on the seafloor The post This Prehistoric Creature is the Only Ocean-Dwelling Amphibian Ever Discovered appeared first on Nautilus .
New cacao variety could help protect global chocolate supply from disease
Chocolate lovers may not realize it, but the future of one of the world's most popular foods is increasingly under pressure. Diseases, shifting weather patterns and other environmental stressors are threatening cacao production globally, contributing to supply concerns and
Supporting children with dyslexia starts with preparing their teachers
A child pauses at a word, tries it, then looks to the teacher for help. Telling the word to the child can get the sentence moving. Working out what to teach so the child can read similar words independently takes a different kind of expertise.
AI and satellite data could give Florida earlier warnings of toxic red tides
Red tide, a harmful algal bloom that produces toxins, is known for causing respiratory irritation in humans and killing fish in coastal waters. Recent research shows that the conversation is also shifting to include a more subtle neurological threat.
Scientists uncover new way to control magnetism and topology using light in atomically thin materials
Envision a material whose magnetic properties and electronic topology can be toggled by exposure to light, paving the way for future electronic devices that do not rely on traditional electrical switching, which wastes energy by producing heat.
Extreme risk protection orders are designed to prevent gun violence. But how do they impact the people subject to them?
About 125 people die from gun violence through homicide or suicide in the United States every day. Many more are injured by firearms. Extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs), known in California as gun violence restraining orders, are designed to keep firearms temporarily away
Potential antimalarial compound discovered in institute's microbe collection
Scientists hunting for a new malaria treatment may have found a solution within a historical natural compound collection housed at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology.
Light-controlled brake makes random molecular motion 300,000 times slower
Molecules are never still. Driven by thermal energy, they are constantly moving through space, while their individual parts also rotate relative to one another. Scientists at IOCB Prague have now shown that random motion within a molecule can be dramatically suppressed. Using
People are influenced by unreliable information yet remain aware of its influence on their decisions
Every day, people make decisions based on information obtained from social media, news outlets, online reviews and interpersonal communication, all of which vary in reliability. Numerical indicators and labels designed to convey information reliability, such as user ratings and
Museum visits are generally not perceived as boring, study finds
Museums are regarded as places of inspiration and cultural experience—boredom is not the first thing that springs to mind. However, an international team of researchers led by Thomas Götz from the University of Vienna has now, for the first time, systematically investigated how
A brief-ish history of METI. Part I: Early ideas and experiments
Long before modern astronomy, humans looked to the stars and were astounded by what they saw. Even by the most ancient reckoning, the night sky offered enough to inspire awe and wonder, make us feel insignificant, fire our imaginations and foster hope and a sense of connection.
Tiny droplets use pressure to unlock new routes to degradable plastics
Using a new technique, a research group led by Osaka Metropolitan University (OMU) has substantially increased the range of plastics that can be degraded naturally. The study is published in the journal Macromolecules.
