Researchers have captured the moment two DNA molecules zip together, overcoming their identical negative charges to pair up and revealing a mechanism that has puzzled scientists for more than 20 years. Using high-powered atomic force microscopy, scientists at the University of
For thousands of years, human urine has had real value. After our bodies absorb nutrients from our food, they excrete the rest—mainly via urine. An adult produces about 500 liters (132 gallons) a year. This liquid gold is very rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, three
Americans' confidence in Dr. Anthony Fauci as a source of trustworthy public health information declined over the four months from April to August 2026 in a survey conducted after he appeared before the U.S. Senate Homeland Security Committee but declined to answer its
The Anthropocene became part of the zeitgeist after Nobel laureate Paul Crutzen launched the idea in 2000. This is the notion that a crescendo of human impacts has recently propelled Earth out of the relatively stable climatic conditions of the Holocene epoch, during which
Finding a fossilized dinosaur egg is exceptionally rare, but finding a stash of more than 250 shell fragments in the chilly southern reaches of the planet is even more surprising. The discoveries come from southernmost Patagonia in Argentina, where giant, long-necked
Canada's last epishelf lake drained into the Arctic Ocean following the 2020 breakup of the Milne Ice Shelf and will not recover, a new study confirms.
The term "benefit corporation" is becoming increasingly familiar as a label for companies with a hybrid commitment to the social good and profit-making. Interestingly, the term itself has taken on a hybrid meaning.
Shingrix, the same vaccine that protects people from the blistering shingles rash, might also lower risk of heart disease.
In Australia, many Indigenous communities have connections and stories linked to the she-oak.
We have all seen something suddenly break: a phone screen cracks, a plastic object snaps or a piece of glass shatters. To our eyes, the failure seems to happen all at once. But what if the most important part of the break happens long before the final snap?
A new comparative review, published in The Anatomical Record, examines factors that may lead to birth complications among humans and other mammals. The study suggests that fetal sex may play an important role in risky births in humans and several other species.
Fire ants have earned their reputation as one of Australia's most damaging invasive pests. From ruined picnics to serious impacts on agriculture, biodiversity and public health, they are notoriously difficult to control.
Topological quantum materials combine unusual electronic states with properties such as magnetism or superconductivity, offering possibilities for future electronics and quantum technologies. Researchers at Tohoku University have now shown that changing the number of layers in
UC Riverside environmental engineers have identified key chemical reactions that occur when ultraviolet light is used to destroy "forever chemical" pollutants in water, providing a roadmap for developing more effective cleanup technologies.
Subsidies for emerging technology that allows seafood to be produced on land would boost the UK's food security and deliver significant climate benefits, new research shows.
A conversation with neuroscientist and author Antonio Damasio about intelligence, feelings, and robots The post Does Consciousness Require a Body? appeared first on Nautilus .
Imagine walking through a World War I excavation site—not wading through mud-filled trenches, but navigating a digital landscape rich with history, artifacts and human stories.
A new study reveals that horse personality is not only a matter of genetics, age or breed but also systematically linked to how horses are housed, ridden and cared for, and to the quality of the relationship they share with their owners. The findings underscore the importance
Material properties such as sound insulation, resistance to extreme heat and thermal expansion originate from how the zillions of microscopic building blocks (nuclei and electrons) interact at equilibrium and respond to perturbations. Atoms are typically about one ten-billionth
Beyond Blue has launched "The Future We Choose: Mental health support in Australia through the next decade of change," a new strategic foresight report by Australia's national science agency, CSIRO, exploring how mental health in Australia may evolve over the next decade and
More than two decades after scientists first sequenced the entire human genome—all 3 billion base pairs, of DNA code—the meaning of much of this code remains a mystery.
Carbon emissions from the petrochemical industry could increase by 50% by 2050, according to new research from the University of Sheffield. The study, published in Nature Sustainability, provides the most detailed data to date on emissions from one of the world's biggest
Look closely at Hokusai's The Great Wave off Kanagawa, one of Japan's most iconic masterpieces. The brilliant white of the waves, snow on Mount Fuji and clouds above contain no white pigment. Instead, their whiteness comes from the way light scatters off the unprinted fibers of
Scientists have discovered various Denisovan remains in Southwest China dating to the late Middle Pleistocene, including the first Denisovan radius—one of two long bones in the forearm.
It can't be heard, but different parts of the human body are in constant conversation, communicating to keep the entire system running efficiently. For biologists, being able to listen in on this discussion is a long-sought-after goal. Over the years, researchers have caught
A few hundred million years after the Big Bang, the first stars ignited—literally the "let there be light" moment for the universe. Now known to astronomers as Population III, or Pop III, stars, these giants were very different from the stars we know today. They formed from
Teeth and bone fragments unearthed in a cave in China, along with animal bones and stone tools, help paint a picture of Denisovan life.
Hidden correspondences hint at a deeper structure to the mathematical universe. Our columnist unpacks one of those connections and asks mathematicians what they might mean. The post What Is Math’s Mysterious Langlands Program Really About? first appeared on Quanta Magazine
Cleaner engine standards and a gradual uptake of electric vehicles have been credited with helping improve Auckland's air quality in recent years.
Monash University scientists have developed a global framework to tackle a major blind spot in biodiversity conservation: Insects underpin ecosystems and food production but remain largely invisible to conservation efforts across the tropics.
Senegalese engineers in hairnets and white gloves are carefully assembling a nanosatellite at a French lab—another step toward fostering their own space industry back home.
A new Flinders University study of primary school children shows a science-based digital phonics reading app can accelerate early reading while helping teachers quickly identify students needing extra support.
Scientists from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and Liverpool John Moores University in England have discovered the first adult T. rex trackway, providing insights into how this emblematic predator moved. The findings are published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
Indonesia's Mount Anak Krakatau has erupted again this week, sending plumes of volcanic ash high into the sky and disrupting hundreds of flights. More than 300,000 passengers have been affected.
Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters that originate either from manufactured products or from the breakdown of larger plastic items. They can now be found everywhere, from oceans and rivers to soils and indoor air. Because most plastics degrade very
As countries compete for skilled workers and grapple with aging populations and labor shortages, understanding who is moving across borders is increasingly important. A new study provides the first global data set of immigration composition disaggregated simultaneously by age,
An international team of scientists has recreated a 1,000-year timeline documenting ecological changes and human impact on the area surrounding Crawford Lake, the famed location of the proposed Anthropocene.
This reading list takes you to the stars The post An Astrophysicist’s Favorite Books on Cosmology appeared first on Nautilus .
Drinking this year's champagne might cause a heftier headache as France's record heat waves force some producers to increase alcohol levels, industry officials said Wednesday.
An experimental compound called AP503 significantly strengthened bones in mice by activating GPR133, a receptor that boosts bone formation while slowing bone loss. Because the same treatment has also been linked to stronger muscles, researchers see intriguing potential for
Cannibalism was sometimes on the Neolithic menu, as numerous archaeological discoveries have revealed. But while ancient human bones show the practice took place, far less evidence exists about the forms it may have taken or why people occasionally consumed one another. Was it
The birds are up with the sunrise—warblers, flycatchers, sparrows and towhees calling across the treetops. Deer browse on tender buds emerging from dense shrubs. Black bears scrounge for roots, insects and other edibles.
Electronic voting, the use of electronic systems to cast, record or count votes, could potentially simplify the process of electing new political leaders or other representatives. While some countries have already started using internet-connected devices or electronic voting
In research published in the journal Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, the electronic structures of organic molecules containing sp2-hybridized carbons in organic solvents were studied using C K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), termed "Soft-XAS-OS."
By studying chickadee cognition in the wild, researchers learned smarter birds stay smart in old age, produce more young and have better gut bacteria.
New research challenges the idea that career shocks are bad news for expatriate workers, finding that major personal, professional or societal disruptions can instead act as a catalyst for adaptation and resilience.
New research from Indiana University has uncovered a previously unknown vulnerability in how bacteria build the whip-like tails they use to move. The researchers found that building these tails can put stress on the protective wall surrounding a bacterial cell and uncovered
Semaglutide, the drug found in Ozempic and Wegovy, was linked to nearly 40% fewer asthma attacks in a large real-world study. It was also associated with about 20% fewer COPD flare-ups. Researchers say GLP-1 drugs may offer respiratory benefits in addition to their effects on
Pounding surf lashing the swanky California enclave of Malibu on Tuesday opened a giant sinkhole in the driveway of a house reportedly belonging to U.S. actor Nicolas Cage.
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
