Cancer is increasing in young people and we still don't know why
Obesity might be to blame for part of the increase in cancer among young people, a study in the UK has found, but the causes largely remain a mystery
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Urban birds fear women more than men, and scientists don't know why
An international team of researchers have made the surprising discovery that urban birds—such as great tits, house sparrows and blackbirds—flee sooner when approached by women compared to men. But they don't understand why. Conducted across five European countries, the study
Hidden stripe pattern lets microscopes auto-focus across 400 times deeper range
Anyone who has ever used a microscope knows that it takes time to bring a sample into sharp focus. Each time you move the slide, the image blurs, and you have to stop and carefully turn a knob to bring everything back into clear view. For scientists and clinicians, even if the
Egg-scanning AI may let hatcheries sort life, death and sex before chicks emerge
Eggs and poultry provide important sources of protein globally, driving a major industry with large economic impacts. Challenges to hatchery operations include embryo mortality, fertility, sex determination, and eggshell characteristics. These features have a substantial impact
Natural rubber process boosts tire toughness about tenfold while preserving stiffness
Natural rubber, tapped from trees as latex, is the world's most widely used bio-elastomer. Comprising long molecular chains that make it pliable and stretchy yet highly resistant to cracking and strain, natural rubber is foundational to countless products, including the
Conquering the final frontiers in nanographene synthetic methodologies
Nanographenes are organic semiconductor materials used in smartphones, OLED displays, and solar cells. At the molecular level, they are composed of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are a network of connected benzene rings (hexagon-shaped carbon molecules).
Kon-Tiki Set Sail 79 Years Ago Today
The most epic, pseudoscientific adventure ever The post Kon-Tiki Set Sail 79 Years Ago Today appeared first on Nautilus .
Study reveals insights for climate resilience in smallholder cacao farms
Chocolate is one of the world's most widely consumed foods. It is made from cacao beans grown by millions of smallholder farmers globally. High-quality cacao beans require optimal growing conditions, which are essential for producing good-quality chocolates. However, growing
Investigating the disordered heart of glass
Recent research led by the University of Trento reveals that fundamental atomic vibrations remain unchanged also in ultra-stable glasses. This discovery advances the decade-long debate on the physics of disorder and opens the way to new applications, from electronics to
Soil fertilization with Amazonian dark earth increases tree diameter by up to 88%
A study conducted in the Brazilian state of Amazonas has demonstrated that small amounts of Amazonian dark earth (ADE)—an anthropogenic soil created by ancient Amazonian populations—can increase the height and diameter of the pink trumpet tree (Handroanthus avellanedae) by up
Revolving doors weaken SEC oversight, finds research
Regulators often move in and out of revolving doors between government and the industries they oversee. They can bring valuable expertise. But their ties also can raise questions about whose interests their knowledge ultimately serves. In one recent case, staffers at the U.S.
NASA fires up powerful lithium-fed thruster for trips to Mars
A technology that could propel crewed missions to Mars and robotic spacecraft throughout the solar system was recently put to the test at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. On Feb. 24, for the first time in years and at power levels exceeding any previous
Zinc–redox crosstalk: A new key to cellular protein quality control
Zinc is an essential trace element that controls myriad biological processes. The delicate balance of its concentration in the body is critical; both deficiency and excess are linked to severe pathological states such as impaired immunity, delayed wound healing, and sensory
NASA chief Jared Isaacman hints at campaign to make Pluto a planet again
The NASA administrator’s latest remarks in support of reexamining Pluto’s status come 20 years after the orb was downgraded to a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union
City birds appear more afraid of women than men, and scientists have no idea why
“I fully believe our results, that urban birds react differently based on the sex of the person approaching them,” said a co-author of a study that made this finding, “but I can’t explain them right now”
Climate policy isn't partisan, and research suggests more on the right support it than oppose it
Climate change has become entangled in partisan politics. In Canada, as in other countries, climate concern and support for climate policy are often coded as left-leaning positions. Meanwhile, climate change skepticism or denial is more likely to be espoused by those on the
Tiny DNA fragments, big agricultural insights: New genomic approach helps improve crop resilience
The genes that could help the world's crops survive drought, heat, and disease probably already exist. But much of this genetic diversity remains hidden within ancient plant varieties and forgotten seed collections, among millions of DNA differences that are difficult to spot.
Can ‘extinct’ volcanoes still erupt? A Greek peak holds surprising clues
Tiny crystals suggest extinct volcanoes could still grow underground, a finding that could reshape how scientists assess eruption risk.
Light pollution alters food webs along riverbanks, finds study
Artificial light at night not only alters the landscape, but also profoundly disrupts natural ecosystems. A recent study by the RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau shows that light pollution can significantly disrupt the exchange of energy and nutrients between bodies of
Organic matter diversity determines how much iron is available for marine life, study finds
How much of the essential trace element iron remains available for marine life in the ocean depends critically on the diversity of organic molecules in seawater, according to new research published in Nature Communications by an international team led by Dr. Martha Gledhill
Why the dawn chorus sounds different from place to place
Each May, nature lovers get out of bed early to experience the seasonal wonder of birds singing, as the sun rises above the horizon to take part in International Dawn Chorus Day.
A mechanical blue LED: Stretching GaN shifts light from UV to blue without changing chemistry
A research team from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) has successfully used mechanical stretching technology to dynamically control the emission color of gallium nitride (GaN) material from ultraviolet (UV) to blue light. This technological
Humanity may be doomed to die in nuclear war—unless we act soon, physicist David Gross says
After winning a Breakthrough Prize, the world’s most lucrative science award, theoretical physicist David Gross is using the moment to warn of nuclear war’s existential threat—and how we can escape it
Our Eyes Originated in a 600-Million-Year-Old Cyclops
There was a time when one eye was better than two The post Our Eyes Originated in a 600-Million-Year-Old Cyclops appeared first on Nautilus .
Humidity and heat are killers for tropical birds: Waxbill and hornbill studies highlight the dangers
Humans are not the only species negatively affected by increasingly hot and humid conditions. Intense heat waves sometimes kill large numbers of wild animals. Eastern Australia's giant fruit bats, known as flying-foxes, provide possibly the most dramatic illustration. In late
Ancient farming clues may finally expose where humanity's most important wheat first emerged
The exact origin of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) is still a mystery, but researchers believe they are edging closer to the source of one of the most important food staples worldwide. Using genetic studies and ancient plant remains, an international team of scientists has
Urban agriculture could supply about 28% of Europe's vegetable demand
A new study, conducted by researchers from the Netherlands and Germany, estimates that urban agriculture in European cities could produce up to 20 million tons of vegetables annually, representing roughly one-third of the region's current vegetable production. The study,
How can opinions be maximally influenced? New research offers insights
Who should you target, and when, to maximize the impact of your message? New research uses mathematical models to show that targeted influence is significantly more effective than random persuasion. In social networks, certain individuals play a key role at specific moments in
Invisible fertility crisis: Chemicals and climate change threaten reproduction across species
The rise in infertility is not limited to humans, as environmental stressors are quietly undermining the reproductive potential of different forms of life. A recent review published in npj Emerging Contaminants investigated how today's environmental challenges are shaping the
The Simpsons reference that refutes one of history’s greatest mathematicians
In one famous episode of The Simpsons , Homer finds a counterexample to Fermat’s last theorem
Stick-on gel delivers drugs directly to plants to clear infections quickly
A stick-on gel for plants could one day offer a simple, safe and targeted way to treat diseases and pests. Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed an adhesive gel that can be loaded with substances, such as small molecule drugs or nanoparticles, and
Will attendance‑based grading improve school absenteeism?
School absenteeism is a major concern across Canada—and beyond. As researchers with the Canadian School Attendance Partnership, we have been exploring this issue for a few years, motivated by concerns raised by families, community agencies and school districts.
The Predictive Powers of Bear Poop
It doesn’t even need to leave the intestines to tell a story The post The Predictive Powers of Bear Poop appeared first on Nautilus .
Peatlands are vital for tackling climate change, yet scientists still haven't found them all
Push a metal corer into a peatland and you pull up something remarkable: a dark, dense, sponge-like material made of partly decomposed plants. This peat is rich in carbon. In some places, that peat has been building up for thousands of years. Peatlands are the ecosystems where
Soil, not fertilizer, is primary source of nitrogen gas loss in rice paddies, study reveals
Rice production is heavily dependent on nitrogen fertilizers, particularly in China, where application rates are two to three times the global average. At the same time, a large amount of nitrogen is lost to the environment—mainly in the form of N2. Scientists widely assumed
Your local storm forecast is likely based on weather miles away. We're trying to bring it closer to home
Whether you're planning a weekend hike, deciding what to wear to work, or preparing your home for severe storms, the weather forecast is essential. You might instinctively grab your smartphone and check an app for an instant weather update.
They cover just 3% of Earth, yet the unanswered questions around them could reshape climate action forever
Researchers including a number from the University of Exeter, have identified the most urgent unanswered questions about peatlands, providing a global roadmap to guide future science and policy for one of the planet's most important and threatened ecosystems. The paper,
An anomaly in global sea level rise is explained by deep ocean heating
Climate scientists like to keep their accounting books neat and balanced. As climate change alters energy flows all across the planet, which in turn causes effects like sea level rise, ice melt and more, keeping close track of these changes is important for an in-depth
From pet to pest: Research warns invasive goldfish are reshaping freshwater ecosystems
A new peer-reviewed study conducted by researchers at The University of Toledo and University of Missouri provides some of the first rigorous experimental evidence that goldfish—one of the world's most popular pets—can dramatically change freshwater ecosystems when released or
Fusion energy company Commonwealth applies to join a U.S. power grid—a first
The fusion energy start-up Commonwealth Fusion Systems aims to bring its first power plant online by the early 2030s, but daunting technical hurdles remain
People are betting on measles outbreaks – and that might be useful
Millions of dollars are being spent on wagers predicting measles outbreaks in the US, which could help researchers modelling the spread of the disease
Is consciousness more fundamental to reality than quantum physics?
The idea that everything that exists can be built from the bottom up has long held sway among physicists. Now, a new kind of science is under construction that centres conscious experience – and might unravel the universe’s biggest mysteries
Where Brains Process Smell
First “smell map” reveals organization where scientists had predicted chaos The post Where Brains Process Smell appeared first on Nautilus .
Watch Astrobotic’s latest record-breaking ‘ring of fire’ rocket engine test
Rotating detonation rocket engines work differently than traditional rockets to maximize thrust while using less fuel—an advantage that could help spacecraft explore farther in the solar system
NASA Curiosity rover finds mysterious life linked molecules on mars
Curiosity has detected a surprising variety of organic molecules on Mars, including compounds tied to the chemistry of life. Some of these molecules may be billions of years old, preserved in ancient clay-rich rocks that once held water. One standout find resembles building
Humanoid robots may be about to break the 100-metre sprint record
Robots can now run a half-marathon faster than humans and are rapidly homing in on the 100-metre sprint record. But why are companies so keen to create speedy robots that have no obvious application in homes or factories?
Uranus has weird rings. Astronomers now know the source of two of them
The Nu ring seems to be fed by unknown rocky bodies, whereas the Mu ring appears rich in water ice and linked to the moon Mab.
Scientists catch antimatter “atom” acting like a wave for the first time
Quantum physics once shocked scientists by revealing that particles can behave like waves—and now, that strange behavior has been pushed even further. For the first time, researchers have observed wave-like interference in positronium, an exotic “atom” made of an electron and
MIT scientists turn chaotic laser light into powerful brain imaging tool
Scientists at MIT discovered that chaotic laser light can spontaneously form a highly focused beam instead of scattering—if the conditions are just right. This “pencil beam” enabled them to image the blood-brain barrier in 3D at speeds 25 times faster than existing techniques.
Your dreams aren’t random. Here’s what’s really happening
Dreams are more structured than they seem, shaped by both personal traits and real-world experiences. Researchers found that the brain doesn’t just replay daily life—it reshapes it into imaginative, sometimes surreal scenarios. People who mind-wander more tend to have