What can minerals tell us about Earth’s past? This geologist is finding out
Smithsonian geologist Gabriela Farfan studies corals, gemstones and other minerals for clues to changing oceans and environments.
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Republican congressional candidate Tom Stalcup on how both parties abuse science for political gain
Scientific American spoke to the candidate for Massachusetts’s fourth congressional district about climate change, misinformation and why, when it comes to health care, some socialism may be required
A Wall Is Also a Road explores alien consciousness, slime mold life-forms and Pompeii
Slime mold aliens explore Pompeii—and humanity—in a new book by Annalee Newitz
A magnetar can be born when two neutron stars touch
All neutron stars have intense magnetic fields. The typical magnetic field of a neutron star is about 100,000 times stronger than the strongest magnetic fields we can create on Earth. But about 1% of neutron stars have even stronger magnetic fields. Known as magnetars, their
Women farmers need better financing to benefit from AI
Public and private investments must address the financial barriers preventing women from benefiting fully from digital technologies and artificial intelligence as multiple global crises and aid cuts bite.
Are partisan politics even changing up our accents? They just might be, y'all
With the midterms fast approaching, communicating just the right message has been top of mind on all sides of the political aisle.
Controlled vapor treatment guides molecules into highly oriented soft quasicrystals
Molecules can spontaneously organize into complex, ordered structures through a process known as self-assembly. Among these structures, soft quasicrystals display unusual patterns that do not repeat regularly like conventional crystals. However, producing such structures with a
Major repairs needed to save Horseshoe Bay Lagoon
Volunteer researcher Chris Hopper, JCU's adjunct professor Eric Wolanski and independent researcher Natalie K. Dowling examined the impact of saltwater and erosion on Horseshoe Bay Lagoon, a freshwater lagoon and one of the few swamps with bulkuru sedge—also known as water
Rare solar radiation storm gives scientists clearest picture yet of flight risks
The most comprehensive data set ever collected from Earth's atmosphere during a solar radiation event has highlighted the importance of better-coordinated radiation monitoring for aviation safety, according to new research led by the University of Surrey.
Shortening Canadian teacher education risks devaluing the profession of teaching
Recently, shorter teacher certification programs have been introduced in different Canadian provinces. These programs are being implemented in Alberta, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Québec.
Where El Niño may impact California coastal areas this winter
Driving across Highway 37 in the San Francisco Bay Area on the best of days already feels like driving on top of water. Buffeted on both sides by marshlands hosting egrets, herons, ducks and a handful of endangered species, the sea-level highway is a major connector linking
Researchers study how AI could improve weed management
Advances in weed management technology could reduce reliance on herbicides and manual labor, but a new review from the University of Mississippi and Cornell University indicates those tools also bring steep costs and potential challenges.
Shipwrecks can become thriving reefs, but may contain hidden toxic time bombs
Late last year, scientists in Germany published findings on a World War II munitions dump in the Baltic Sea. Some may dismiss the dump as hazardous waste, but to marine biologists it was something far more exciting: a thriving ecosystem.
Forgotten samples from Greenland's Cold War base reveal warmer summers during ancient ice-free period
The site of a former U.S. military base in Greenland was ice-free at a time when summers were a few degrees warmer than today, according to a new University at Buffalo–led study of ancient sediment recovered from beneath the site in the 1960s.
Judging faces without personality labels uncovers key patterns in first impressions
Imagine sitting on a city bus full of strangers. Look around at the people riding with you. If you needed help, how would you choose whom to trust? By scanning people's faces, your brain is already making interpretations about their personalities by judging certain facial
Building wildfire-resilient homes costs less than residents expect
Housing development in Colorado is spreading into fire-prone landscapes, increasing wildfire risk and adding to the challenges of affordable housing and rising insurance costs.
Mystery skeleton found in Roman sarcophagus at Westminster Abbey may finally have an identity
The identity of a mysterious skeleton found in a Roman sarcophagus in the grounds of Westminster Abbey more than 150 years ago appears closer to being solved.
Primates Also Become Germophobes After Living Through a Viral Outbreak
And it could shed light on the evolutionary origins of disgust The post Primates Also Become Germophobes After Living Through a Viral Outbreak appeared first on Nautilus .
Rule breaking by just a few people can be contagious
People are more likely to mimic — or even surpass — rule breakers than rule followers, a study finds. But real-world consequences may keep people in line.
Like humans, some primates become cautious of germs in the wake of a viral outbreak
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, many households wiped down groceries with disinfectant before putting them away. Hand sanitizer was in short supply. With little information on how the virus spread, people became more cautious of germs from other people. A new
Caribbean islands were once the center of diversity for barn owls
Legend has it that a giant elfin, owl-like creature called the chickcharney haunts the islands of the Bahamas. Those who encounter this cryptid on cordial terms are said to be blessed with good luck. Those who disrespect the chickcharney, however, don't fare as well. "If you
Northern Australia is a 'lifeboat' for critically endangered green sawfish
Green sawfish, distinguished by their long, sharklike bodies and tooth-lined "saw" on the front of their heads, are on the verge of extinction, largely due to overfishing and habitat loss.
Male seahorse pouch proteins may help remove toxic waste from developing embryos
Male seahorses, fishes that belong to the Syngnathidae family, show a distinctive reproductive strategy in which males carry developing embryos in a brood pouch. Their most distinctive feature is the brood pouch on the ventral side of the male fish, into which the female fish
Diverse and sustained social activities may boost cognition in older age
Diverse and sustained social activities may boost cognitive performance and slow the decline in brain health associated with aging, suggest the findings of a large international study, published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.
Are Our Hearts Strong Enough to Get to Mars?
Prolonged space travel can wreak havoc on the circulatory system The post Are Our Hearts Strong Enough to Get to Mars? appeared first on Nautilus .
Soybean waste yields 3D-printable material that could help repair skin
Transforming a soybean processing byproduct into a material for skin protection and repair is the prospect outlined by a study that used okara, a residue from the production of tofu and soy-based beverages, to obtain a bioactive, biodegradable, 3D-printable biomaterial.
Are transgender sports bans really about protecting women? Survey data tells a different story
Relatively few transgender athletes participate in high school and collegiate sports. Still, since 2020, 27 states have passed laws banning them from participating in sports based on their gender identity.
A hidden rivalry between two quantum states at the heart of superconductors
Transmitting electricity without losing any energy may sound impossible, yet this is precisely the promise of superconductivity. For nearly 40 years, scientists have been working to understand materials that exhibit this remarkable property at relatively high temperatures.
How governments worldwide are shaping what AI can say about politics
With the U.S. midterms approaching, about one in five voters has asked AI chatbots about elections and politics, a recent survey found.
Feral—and threatened? Endangered camels, banteng and hog deer have found an unexpected refuge in Australia
Millions of large feral animals roam Australia. Pigs, camels, deer, horses, water buffalo, cattle and goats were introduced deliberately as transport, livestock or to hunt. Many have since established wild populations.
How buying weapons can harm a country's economy
Some wars are predictable. There are conflicts past and present which have been more or less expected because of economic and social conditions, a country's history or that of its neighbors.
Machine learning reveals potential warning signal for polar vortex disruptions
The polar vortex, a swirling mass of cold air encircling the North Pole, is sometimes disrupted by sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events, unleashing waves of frigid air that penetrate farther south than usual. Temperatures across North America and Europe drop precipitously
'Terror of kings': Why the 1066 appearance of Halley's Comet terrified the medieval world
A sequence on the Bayeux Tapestry shows King Harold alongside a crowd gazing at the sky, beneath the embroidered caption Isti mirant stella ("those people marvel at the star"). Above Harold sits Halley's Comet, with ghostlike invasion boats in the border below—a Norman framing
New study reveals the high financial value of privacy in legal proceedings
A new Management Science study provides rare real-world evidence that people are willing to give up thousands of dollars to prevent sensitive information about their health and income from becoming public. The research, developed over five years by an international team, has
Oxygen collisions show evidence of jet quenching, a signature of early-universe matter
New results from the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) provide strong evidence that smashing oxygen nuclei together at nearly the speed of light generates a quark-gluon plasma (QGP), a type of matter that existed just after the birth of the universe.
Tofu is the winner. Scientist creates new holistic scoring system to measure the impact of food
Consumers are increasingly confronted with conflicting information surrounding how much protein they should have and which protein sources are healthiest, most sustainable, and best value for money. Cambridge research has uncovered the truth.
Using eyedrops in space—wearable patch offers a new approach
Applying eyedrops is difficult in space, where there is almost no gravity. A KAIST research team has developed a wearable patch that delivers eyedrops to the eye without relying on gravity. The research team was led by Professor Ki-Hun Jeong from the Department of Bio and Brain
Christina Applegate says she was misdiagnosed with MS—how could that happen?
The Emmy Award–winning actress revealed that a multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2021 was incorrect. It’s a surprisingly common experience, experts say
From seafloor depths to fishing activity, free software brings ocean data together
For scientists studying the ocean, finding the right data can sometimes be as challenging as figuring out what to do with it. Want to know seafloor depth, the location of underwater mountains or sea surface temperatures? The information exists, but it can take considerable time
Why is it so hard to spot a liar? Expert explains the psychology of deception
From The Traitors to everyday life, we often mistake nervousness, confidence or group suspicion for signs of deception. Dr Nadja Heym, Associate Professor in Personality Psychology and Psychopathology, explains why spotting a liar is harder than we think.
What climate change is costing California
From heat-related illness and deaths to lost work hours and higher insurance and utility bills, climate change is already affecting California's economy. A new statewide report in California's Fifth Climate Change Assessment shows how the costs are rising, rippling across
Distrust in the media and courts can cause democratic backsliding, study suggests
Democratic backsliding can be tricky to spot.
Supercomputer reveals how size could shape the future of nanomedicine
Scientists have long been interested in cellular nanodiscs, tiny particles made from natural cell membranes that mimic many of the functions of living cells. While previous studies demonstrated the therapeutic potential of nanodiscs for drug delivery, detoxification and
Water as we've never known it: Physicists test water beyond Earth-like conditions
Water isn't always as it seems. Under extreme conditions, such as those found on other planets, it has been discovered to change its atomic structure, giving it the means to alter its appearance and other properties.
The Most Unsettling Books We Know
Scientists and artists tell us about the book that scared them to the core The post The Most Unsettling Books We Know appeared first on Nautilus .
How Hunger Can Trigger Alcohol Cravings
At least in fruit flies The post How Hunger Can Trigger Alcohol Cravings appeared first on Nautilus .
The mathematical impossibility of making a perfect world map
Mapping a sphere onto a flat plane is mathematically impossible. But a better world map than the Mercator projection is
This Giant Waterlily Species Was Discovered Via Instagram
They can grow to more than 6 feet in diameter The post This Giant Waterlily Species Was Discovered Via Instagram appeared first on Nautilus .
Scientists left in the dark by National Science Foundation grant application delays
The Major Research Instrumentation program offers grants of up to $4 million to scientists buying or developing research equipment
Green stars do exist—and others shine pink or purple, too
The colors of dead stars come in a surprising rainbow of choices