AI could turn scientific papers into research assistants
An AI ‘virtual author’ can help scientists use a paper’s methods on new data. But it’s not going to match a human author’s expertise.
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Be Nice to Your Chatbot
It couldn’t hurt, and it might help The post Be Nice to Your Chatbot appeared first on Nautilus .
A lifesaving medication is not behind the drop in U.S. overdose deaths
A possible reason for the overdose deaths drop is more use of naloxone, which reverses opioid overdoses. But while still a key tool, its use fell too.
63 Years Ago This Week, Félicette Became the First Cat in Space
She’s still the only feline to have the honor The post 63 Years Ago This Week, Félicette Became the First Cat in Space appeared first on Nautilus .
Peek into hidden worlds revealed by the 2026 Nikon Small World contest
This year’s photomicrography contest captured the wonders of the very small, from flying ink droplets to the most adorable jumping spider you've ever seen.
Massive study of 460,000 people challenges ultra-processed food cancer fears
A massive study of more than 460,000 Americans found that ultra-processed foods were not associated with increased colorectal cancer risk overall, challenging a widely held assumption. While processed meat was linked to higher cancer incidence, ultra-processed whole grains and
Too much RNA can starve cells of energy, scientists discover
Scientists have uncovered an unexpected danger lurking inside cells: too much RNA can damage the structures responsible for producing energy. A new study found that excess RNA, including the normally essential messenger RNA (mRNA), can directly disrupt mitochondria without
A train was delayed by a solar storm. But something didn't add up.
Scientists have cracked a 178-year-old mystery surrounding a train delayed by a solar storm, revealing that the famous incident happened in 1848 rather than 1841. The discovery rewrites the early history of space weather and highlights a threat that still endangers modern power
Astronauts’ hearts just passed a surprising test for Mars
A new study tracking 13 astronauts suggests that the human heart may be surprisingly well equipped for a journey to Mars, especially with regular exercise during spaceflight. Researchers found that astronauts' hearts adapted to months of weightlessness and handled simulated
Rejuvenation breakthrough: Scientists reverse 60 years of aging in human cells
Scientists have turned blood cells from an 80-year-old into neural stem cells with a molecular age of less than 20, effectively reversing more than 60 years of cellular aging in the laboratory. The discovery offers a new way to investigate how cells become younger and could
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.
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
Just 4 minutes a day can dramatically improve strength after 65
A new Penn State study suggests that just four minutes of daily strength training can significantly improve mobility and physical function in older adults. After 12 weeks, participants showed meaningful gains in balance, leg strength, and their ability to stand up from a chair,
NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover just shattered the all-time off-world driving record
NASA’s Perseverance rover has shattered a historic space exploration record, traveling farther across another world than any vehicle before it. Its advanced self-driving system helped it surpass Opportunity’s 28.06-mile record in just five and a half years, a feat that
A massive asteroid slammed into the North Sea and unleashed a 330-foot tsunami
A decades-long mystery beneath the North Sea has finally been solved. Scientists have confirmed that the Silverpit Crater, buried 700 meters below the seabed, was created when a 160-meter-wide asteroid struck Earth roughly 43 to 46 million years ago. The violent collision
Scientists discover ghostly, eyeless creature hidden in Chinese cave
Deep inside a high-altitude Chinese cave, scientists discovered a ghostly, eyeless freshwater snail that has evolved to live entirely in darkness, marking the first recorded discovery of its kind in China. Named after a faceless mythical creature, the rare species may already
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.
Scientists find 10 different diets linked to slower aging
A study by DZNE finds that healthy eating is associated with slower biological aging—and that there is more than one way to eat healthily. The researchers examined ten dietary patterns considered healthy, including the Mediterranean, Nordic, and a plant-based diet, as well as
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.
