Headlines

Local microbes persist in wine despite commercial yeast

A new study has demonstrated that regional microbial imprints can remain detectable under commercial winemaking conditions. The research, appearing in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, shows that inoculated fermentations do not "override" native microbial diversity and

How companies quietly undercut dissent

In 2016, when Amazon workers began organizing at a warehouse in Chester, Virginia, the company tracked where employees gathered, posted anti-union messaging in bathroom stalls and held town halls to discourage them. The National Labor Relations Board forced Amazon to admit, in

A wandering black hole caught feeding on the run

Astronomers have found the first direct evidence that a wandering black hole can feed itself by dragging gas along in its wake as it moves through its galaxy. It's the first direct evidence of an accretion channel long predicted in theory but never before observed. The paper

AI D-Day weather forecast falters under pressure

Today's best weather computers would still have struggled to accurately predict the weather for the D-Day landings, University of Reading research shows. The new research, published in the journal Weather ahead of the release of the D-Day film "Pressure," used AI models to

Some black holes grow much faster than their galaxies

Nearly every galaxy has a supermassive black hole. The few that don't have had theirs ejected during a galactic collision. That's because galaxies and their black holes have formed hand in hand. There is still some debate as to whether galaxies formed around the seeds of

Researchers rewire ribosomes to specialize in one protein

Every cell relies on ribosomes, the molecular machines that read genetic instructions and use them to assemble proteins. A cell needs thousands of types of proteins at any one time, so ribosomes must be generalists, capable of using instructions to produce any protein.

When disaster strikes, what happens to our pets?

As large-scale disasters—including earthquakes, torrential rains, typhoons and wildfires—become increasingly frequent, ensuring that pets as well as their owners can evacuate safely and receive appropriate care has become an important part of disaster preparedness.

A new mission could rendezvous with Halley's Comet in 2061

Halley's Comet captures the imagination in a way that few other astronomical objects do. When it last made its approach toward the sun (admittedly when this author, who is now middle-aged, was 1 year old in 1986), humanity responded with a fleet of spacecraft known informally

Why does microwaving fish smell so bad?

The work break room can be a place of rest, gossip, fun or recovery. But it can also be a cause for complaint when yesterday's fish dinner becomes a smelly microwaved lunch. For most people, microwaving fish at work is a big no-no. It has even led to armed confrontations.