A heat wave lasting four months, followed by water shortages and crop failures. This is England in the 13th century, not the 21st. What is often called the Medieval Warm Period saw elevated temperatures in many parts of the world between the 10th and 13th centuries.
Millions of people across the UK marveled at the spectacular northern lights that lit up the night sky in May 2024. But while the display captivated skywatchers, the geomagnetic storm behind it also served as the biggest test in a generation of the UK's preparedness for severe
Five minutes. That was the amount of time that Oso Grande strawberries remained in contact with the Ctx(Ile21)-Ha peptide—a molecule isolated from a frog native to the Brazilian Cerrado—in experiments conducted in Brazil by scientists at the Tupã campus of São Paulo State
Subseasonal forecasting, or the ability to predict weather trends two weeks to two months in advance, is a capability highly sought after in various economic sectors, including energy, water management and agriculture. Reliable forecasts on this scale have thus far been largely
Most people would not prefer to take ethical advice from a computer, but a new Wharton study shows how attitudes change when users see how good AI guidance can be.
New research from the University of St Andrews has shed light on baboons, moonlight and their link to an ancient Egyptian deity.
One of the most contested issues in astrophysics is our understanding of the Universe’s expansion. Adam Riess discusses why there is disagreement and what might resolve it. The post How Fast Is the Universe Really Expanding? first appeared on Quanta Magazine
Manchester's quantum researchers are building on the Ferranti Mark I legacy, using ultra-pure silicon and single atoms to move quantum computing closer to real-world impact.
Dating has entered a new era in which finding a potential soulmate is increasingly shaped by the digital world and, often, by algorithms. On dating apps, the way people present themselves through their profiles can significantly influence how approachable, trustworthy and
American adults with college degrees now outlive those without degrees by more than eight years, in part because graduates appear to be more proactive about protecting their health. For example, they smoke cigarettes at far lower rates and follow cancer screening advice more
Physicists have discovered a surprisingly simple way to reproduce one of the most fascinating models in modern physics—linked to black holes, quantum chaos and exotic electronic materials—using ultracold atoms trapped in light.
Shayan Oveis Gharan has won the Abacus Medal for using tools from across mathematics to boost the power of algorithms. The post A Master of the Traveling Salesperson Problem Finds His Own Path first appeared on Quanta Magazine
Heavy polar molecules are some of the most sensitive tools physicists have for probing what lies beyond the Standard Model, the theory that describes the particles and forces we know about. But turning that sensitivity into precise, trustworthy measurements has long been held
In recent summers, wildfire smoke has been inescapable across Wisconsin, drifting south from Canada and leading to long stretches of poor air quality. Whether that smoke clears or lingers is often influenced in part by the atmospheric boundary layer—the lowest part of the
Our tales of AI developing the will to survive, commandeer resources, and manipulate people say more about us than they do about language models. The post Why Do We Tell Ourselves Scary Stories About AI? appeared first on Nautilus .
The 2026 Fields Medals recognize breakthroughs in the math of messy fluids, tangled knots, spinning pencils, and more
Focus, commitment, and insight resulted in a “once in a century” proof. Hong Wang is now just the third woman to win a Fields Medal. The post Living Fully in the Math World Means Threading the Needle first appeared on Quanta Magazine
Determination and effort propelled Jacob Tsimerman to the top of the math world. But now that he’s won a Fields Medal, he worries that the field is in jeopardy. The post Sometimes Being First Means Seeing the End Before Anyone Else first appeared on Quanta Magazine
Every four years, the math world’s preeminent awards are given to the finest minds of a generation. The young winners — all under 40 on the first day of the year — have reshaped mathematics and theoretical computer science. Here are their stories. The post Fields and Abacus
John Pardon sees connections between different areas of math that others don’t. For that vision, he’s now been awarded a Fields Medal. The post The Quietest Mathematician Has Always Been Worth Listening To first appeared on Quanta Magazine
Tanneries generate large quantities of skin trimmings before hides are tanned. These trimmings contain collagen but are commonly treated as low-value waste. An international research team has developed a method that uses ficin, a protein-digesting enzyme obtained from fig
Before he won a Fields Medal for his pioneering work balancing randomness and order, Yu Deng first had to achieve equilibrium in his own life. The post Amid Life’s Chaos, a Meticulous Mathematician Finds Stability first appeared on Quanta Magazine
There is an urgent need for better support for older teenagers entering care for the first time, new Griffith University research has found. Professor Silke Meyer from Griffith's School of Allied Health, Sport and Social Work conducted a scoping review that examined research on
People who accept that there may not always be a perfect career choice and learn to make decisions despite uncertainty are more likely to find their work meaningful, satisfying and engaging, according to research published in the Journal of Counseling Psychology.
Curtin University-led research has unveiled a new teaching approach that could help incorporate Aboriginal languages into Australian classrooms, teach younger generations and potentially prevent important cultural connections from being lost.
In cases of extreme drought, soil organic carbon does not improve crop yields, Colorado State University research has found. The finding contradicts the commonly held belief that soil organic carbon benefits yields most during drought.
Physician-scientists hold a unique role in the medical field. They balance patient care with conducting research. Physician-scientists spend much of their time in laboratories performing experiments to drive innovation across a wide range of medical treatments. But their
But why? The post Watch Orcas Play With (Read: Obliterate) Their Food appeared first on Nautilus .
The level of inequity experienced by young people with disability has remained largely unchanged since the turn of the century, according to new research led by Flinders University. Using data from the Household, Income and Labor Dynamics in Australia Survey (HILDA),
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have captured one of the clearest views yet of how an early supermassive black hole may grow within a network of young galaxies. The compact active galaxy, seen just a billion years after the Big Bang, lies beside a
When it comes to protecting livestock from devastating diseases, simply telling people what to do may not be enough. A new review led by a researcher from the University of Vermont and collaborators from two institutions in Australia suggests that improving farm biosecurity
In January 2025, the Trump administration announced a 90-day freeze on all United States government (USG) foreign aid, which subsequently became a permanent shutdown of USAID in July 2025. New research finds that the abrupt cessation of foreign aid disrupted health and
About 22,000 years ago, a giant brown bear lumbered across what is now Portugal. The creature weighed around 385 kg (about 850 pounds), making it one of the largest of its kind ever found, dwarfing even the largest brown bears today.
There are many observations of animals behaving oddly during eclipses, but the reason may have nothing to do with the sun and moon
Human-caused climate change has intensified a drought across Europe, with extreme heat rather than low rainfall driving the exceptionally dry conditions, a team of international scientists said Thursday.
In most everyday materials, such as copper, silver and silicon, the behavior of electrons is relatively predictable. In quantum materials, however, electrons can interact in complex ways, giving rise to collective electronic states with remarkable properties. Understanding how
Keeping food waste out of landfills provides climate and other environmental benefits, and Vermont requires residents to divert these materials to better management pathways. With other states considering similar policies, UVM researchers studied the potential outcomes of
As dawn breaks over Ghana's Atlantic coast, artisanal fishing boats return to shore with last night's catch—baskets of snapper, crabs, rays and a distinct-looking fish locals call "esene."
Britain's record-breaking June heat wave resulted in some 24 million lost hours of work, costing the economy £1.15 billion ($1.5 billion), according to an estimate released Thursday by the London School of Economics (LSE).
Scientists working to save a coral species from extinction transported 30 pieces from nurseries off the Florida coast to a hatchery on land Wednesday, fearing that warming waters could trigger a mass bleaching event this summer that could wipe them out.
The behavior could be a strategy to help younger orcas feed, or it may just be for their own amusement, researchers say
Orcas are known to be smart and ruthless hunters. They've been observed hunting a variety of prey, with some species, such as whales, larger than themselves. They use a wide range of strategies to hunt and kill prey, but now, in the Gulf of California, researchers have observed
This strategy expands orcas’ already broad repertoire for dispatching different types of prey.
A new study of incarcerated women in Chile reveals that women respond to imprisonment in very different ways: While most experienced little change in their involvement in crime after release, those with higher levels of past criminal involvement transitioned toward less
Consumer behavior accounts for almost two-thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions. Research published in the International Journal of Business Excellence argues that reducing absolute consumption, rather than simply making it greener, needs to be a priority in environmental
In Tunisia, long power outages across the country have added to the strain of an intense heat wave, with temperatures as high as 49°C (120°F), leaving many fearing for their livelihoods.
Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have developed a new way to add large pieces of genetic information to plants, overcoming a challenge that has limited plant biotechnology for decades. The advance could help scientists build more complex
Anyone who has boiled a pot of water understands that it takes both time and energy to raise the temperature, so it may come as a surprise to learn that scientists have long treated marine heat waves (MHWs) as isolated events. New research led by William & Mary's VIMS & Batten
An international study led by researchers from the University of Tartu shows that approximately 470 million years ago, a significant ecological change took place in the world's oceans: For the first time, the interiors of empty mollusk shells began to be used as habitats. This
