In the face of loneliness, many people are turning to AI chatbots for companionship – but research shows it can’t replace human connection. Columnist David Robson explores how beneficial it can be to talk to strangers, with evidence-based tips on how to get the conversation
A clock based on radioactive thorium atoms realises a long-held ambition, demonstrating a technology that could eventually beat the accuracy of today’s best atomic clocks
Researchers have developed a solar-driven catalyst material that harnesses the energy of a single photon to reduce carbon dioxide and oxidize organic waste at the same time, producing valuable chemicals in both reactions.
As the world's population becomes more and more urban, cities are emerging as key components of the Anthropocene—both as major contributors to climate change and as potential trendsetters for innovation and action. But in order to understand the role of cities in the Earth
Temperatures in the Antarctic Peninsula have reached a record-breaking high of 15.4C for June, and ice is melting at abnormal rates during the current winter, climate scientists told AFP on Thursday.
Elon Musk's SpaceX was set to begin trading on the Nasdaq exchange Friday, with the biggest initial public offering in history expected to make the polarizing entrepreneur the world's first trillionaire.
Elon Musk's SpaceX has made awe-inspiring achievements since its founding more than two decades ago and has big ideas—colonies on Mars, orbital AI data centers, rapidly reusable rockets—for the future.
Just 90–120 minutes of strength training a week may deliver some of the biggest long-term health rewards, according to a study tracking more than 147,000 people for 30 years. That amount was linked to lower risks of death overall, particularly from cardiovascular and
Researchers at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) outline in a perspective paper how high-performance materials for batteries, hydrogen technologies, wind turbines, energy conversion, chemical processes and modern electronics can be designed to be
Many workers fear machines will supplant them as adoption of artificial intelligence accelerates.
From paints and inks to catalysts and drug-delivery materials, many advanced technologies rely on substances dispersed in organic solvents. Yet directly observing these materials in their native liquid environments has remained a major challenge, limiting scientists' ability to
In the U.S., unlike elsewhere in the world, the vast majority of mergers and acquisitions are conducted by "serial acquirers"—large, publicly traded firms that regularly acquire smaller companies. Around four in five M&A deals are made by these major players, including tech
Climate change will profoundly alter the dynamics of sea and land breezes in the Barcelona metropolitan area, trapping larger amounts of air pollutants over coastal areas and increasing health risks for millions of people. This is the conclusion of a study conducted by the
A new study has found that plants may reveal recent PFAS contamination linked to airborne deposition that can go undetected in soil analyses. Conducted in agricultural fields near the conflict zone in southern Israel, the research showed that potato leaves contained
The World Settlement Footprint (WSF) Tracker and its dedicated online platform have been officially released at an event at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, D.C.
This new international study is calling for a major rethink of how rivers are managed, arguing that fish are not just passive victims of environmental change but active participants in a feedback loop that can reshape entire river systems.
Elon Musk is all about big numbers—millions, billions, even trillions—and there are plenty of them associated with SpaceX and Musk's plans to take the rocket maker public.
Astronomers have discovered a huge reservoir of cold molecular gas, the direct fuel for star formation, in REBELS-25, a massive, star-forming galaxy. The team, led from Leiden University, focused on REBELS-25, seen when the universe was only about 700 million years old, around
One September day, it started to snow inside MIT's Pierce Laboratory. Researchers depressurized a tank of liquid carbon dioxide (CO2), instantly freezing it and releasing solid flakes. These were blended into cement paste and pressed into disks roughly the size of a dime, each
GaN-based vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) are promising for displays, sensing and optical communication, but improving efficiency remains challenging. Researchers have now shown that "cavity tuning," which controls resonance wavelength, strongly affects laser
Can your behavior in third grade predict outcomes in high school and beyond? A new study, published in Developmental Psychology, says yes.
Scientists analyzing 2,000-year-old grape seeds from ancient wells in Tuscany have mapped the most extensive genetic history of ancient grapevines recovered from a single site.
A research team in Bochum, Germany has unexpectedly found that light can slow down movements in the nanoworld. This is due to quantum friction, a phenomenon that has been poorly understood until now. The findings are published in the journal Nature.
An international team including researchers from the University of Alicante (UA) and the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) has used artificial intelligence to analyze the climate commitments submitted to the United Nations by 158 countries. Their conclusion is stark:
A recent study by Ruibao Li and Jennah Dharamshi published in Nature may help us understand the beginnings of animal evolution billions of years ago. These findings are the result of a collaboration among researchers at Indiana University Bloomington, the Institute of
In a quest to build the most accurate quantum sensors in the world, scientists are constantly improving their performance, making them more precise, more stable and more reliable. But eventually, physical constraints will prevent further improvements.
Faculty and students at Georgia State University are working to integrate sustainable practices into undergraduate science education, and a new study highlights ways to advance laboratory practices and teaching strategies.
A new AI model has become so good at predicting how molecules evolve over time that, in the future, it could speed up the costly and time-consuming process of testing new drugs. In the long term, this technology could facilitate the development of medicines and new treatments,
We may not know what dark matter is, but we keep getting whiffs of it. "We are reaching a point where the observational evidence for dark matter is simply undeniable," said Mayank Sharma, a Virginia Tech graduate student in physics.
Sealed within an eggshell, how can chicks prepare for the world into which they are about to hatch, with no obvious direct communication channel across the shell? Adult zebra finches produce distinctive high-pitched warning songs—known as "heat calls"—when panting during a heat
More than 200,000 lives have been lost to the "silent killer" of heat in Europe since 2022, the World Health Organization said Thursday, after a heat wave saw some countries record their highest-ever May temperatures.
Adult finches make "heat calls" as the temperature rises. Exposure to the song prepares their unhatched young's brains for the heat.
Biologists have long thought that seed traits, such as the presence of wings, are the key to predicting in what way, and how far, weeds can disperse. Now, a trio of researchers has revealed that unexpected modes of seed dispersal are more important than mechanisms predicted by
An international team whose research was coordinated by Osaka Metropolitan University (OMU) has reported the survival of metallic behavior in the strongly correlated molecular material ytterbium cesium fulleride (Yb₂CsC₆₀). The electrons in the newly synthesized material
Climate disclosures help investors and the public understand how companies view risks such as extreme weather, carbon regulation and the transition to cleaner energy. "Because these risks are uncertain and forward-looking, company leaders have considerable influence over what
Oxygen depletion in the western Baltic Sea is not uncommon. Oxygen-poor conditions regularly occur in deeper waters, placing stress on marine ecosystems and, in extreme cases, causing fish kills. As ocean temperatures continue to rise due to climate change, the challenges may
A review article now published in Nature Reviews Genetics brings together evolutionary theory, comparative genomics and large-scale human genetics to explain why we age and why aging rates differ among individuals and species. The two authors—from the Leibniz Institute on
In a paper published in the Journal of Forensic Psychology Research and Practice, JCU Ph.D. student Rebecca Ward says the core practices of the field of forensic psychology, from risk assessments to expert testimony, are compromised by structural bias and an unwarranted
A new map of global mycorrhizal fungi details the massive scope of the vital systems The post Hidden Fungal Networks Could Stretch from the Earth to the Sun a Billion Times Over appeared first on Nautilus .
Planetary heating is intensifying and key climate indicators are deteriorating, top scientists said Thursday, warning that funding decisions affecting Earth observation systems in the United States and other countries threaten efforts to track global warming.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has officially adopted ARRAKIHS as a scientific mission, confirming the target launch date of 2030. Matthieu Schaller is part of the science team: "I look forward to learning more about the dark part of our cosmos."
A new Yale-led study provides one of the most detailed and comprehensive analyses to date of genetic variation in human populations in Oceania, filling a major gap in representation in genomics research. Despite harboring remarkable diversity, populations in this vast region in
A drop of dye added to a glass of water undergoes ordinary diffusion. However, when placed on the surface of a foam, the dye spreads differently—diffusion becomes anomalous. An example of this is the pattern on the froth of a cup of cappuccino. Interestingly, recent research
Researchers at the University of Greifswald have discovered a new mechanism by which bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis can regulate the production of the central metabolic molecule acetyl coenzyme A (Acetyl-CoA). Acetyl-CoA, also known as activated acetic acid, is crucial in
Scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego reported today that carbon dioxide levels at Mauna Loa Observatory reached 432.00 parts per million (ppm) in May, continuing a long trend of record-breaking annual peak readings.
In a first, the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists released its own vaccine schedule
Granting promotions and tenure to faculty members is among the most consequential decisions a university makes. Growing evidence suggests that the process doesn't always work as it should.
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is generally associated with animals. But a new study by researchers from the University of Calgary and international collaborators explored the potential for CWD to spread from deer, elk and other cervid (hooved, plant-eating) animals to other
A study in the Global Business and Economics Review suggests that the failure of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can be predicted as much as three years before insolvency. The work could offer lenders, investors and business owners an early warning of financial
Extended DMT trips could help scientists probe a new theory of reality that puts consciousness first The post Turning the Psychedelic Experience into a Math Problem appeared first on Nautilus .
