Headlines

These California wildflowers could save other plants

As wildflowers go, the mountain jewelflower is demure, clever and quietly unbreakable. It has spread across many of California's iconic landscapes, from Sonoma wine country to the oak-dotted foothills, even over the Sierra Crest, where snow covers the ground during winter.

British naked chalk giant gets spruced up

Getting hot and sweaty in a British heat wave, volunteers from home and abroad have been hard at work all week to restore a historic naked chalk giant dubbed "Rude Man" on a hillside in southwest England.

Caffeine reversed memory problems caused by sleep deprivation

Scientists discovered that sleep deprivation damages a key brain circuit responsible for social memory, making it harder to recognize familiar individuals. In laboratory studies, caffeine restored communication between neurons in this pathway and reversed the memory deficits

In the world's economic 'black holes,' data still leak out

From satellite imagery to clandestine price reports, a new study draws on North Korea to explore economic activity in opaque regimes and information-scarce regions. North Korea is the blackest of economic black holes. Even a basic question like "is the economy shrinking or

Why tipping fatigue is growing in Canada

Ever feel uncomfortable when a payment screen asks for a tip? We sure have. As tipping prompts become more widespread, more consumers are feeling uneasy or frustrated, but not always sure why.