Why Middle-Aged Americans Can’t Find Happiness
Welcome to the real midlife crisis in the US The post Why Middle-Aged Americans Can’t Find Happiness appeared first on Nautilus .
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AI tool helps scientists quickly identify fungi with flexible lifestyles in ecosystems
Fungi are the hidden architects of our ecosystems, acting as everything from helpful partners for plants to aggressive decomposers that recycle dead wood. However, many fungi don't stick to just one job; they can switch lifestyles depending on their environment. Understanding
Surprising green ice on Lake Lipno: Cyanobacteria bloom in mid-winter
An unusual natural phenomenon appeared on Lake Lipno in South Bohemia, the Czech Republic, at the end of 2025. Large amounts of accumulated cyanobacteria in the water caused the ice to turn green. The phenomenon was thoroughly documented by hydrobiologists from the Biology
Asteroid that wiped out dinosaurs had limited impact on sharks and rays, study shows
A new study using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) has revealed that the asteroid strike that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago caused only a modest decline in shark and ray species. The findings, published in the journal Current Biology, challenge previous
Novel 'XFELO' laser system produces razor-sharp X-ray light
A team of engineers and scientists has shown for the first time that a hard-X-ray cavity can provide net X-ray gain, with X-ray pulses being circulated between crystal mirrors and amplified in the process, much like happens with an optical laser. The result of the
Cryoelectron tomography reveals paracrystalline architecture of proteasome storage granules
Cells organize their molecules into distinct functional areas. While textbooks usually refer to membrane-bound organelles such as mitochondria and cell nuclei, recent studies have also revealed organelles without membranes. These include stress granules and proteasome storage
A new way to curb excessive data collection by social platforms
Legal efforts to tackle excessive personal information collection by social media giants could transcend international boundaries if nations moved away from a focus on assessing competition using the value of data, a new study says.
Older petrol and diesel vehicles produce 50% of harmful particle emissions in Finland, study shows
In Finland, the average age of passenger cars is among the highest in Europe, and the majority of traffic-related particle emissions are produced by ICE vehicles that are more than 15 years old. The worst polluters are old diesel cars without a diesel particulate filter.
Massive runaway stars in the Milky Way: Observational study explores origins and ejection process
Researchers from the Institute of Cosmos Sciences of the University of Barcelona (ICCUB) and the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC), in collaboration with the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC), have led the most extensive observational study to
Caterpillars hear through tiny body hairs, which could inspire improved microphones
No ears, no problem. The tobacco hornworm caterpillar, a common garden pest, can actually detect airborne sound via microscopic hairs on its body, according to a team of faculty and graduate students at Binghamton University. The research could have implications for improving
Simple statistical method predicts landslide risk more accurately than classic method
A relatively simple statistical analysis method can more accurately predict the risk of landslides caused by heavy rain, according to a study coordinated by Brazilian researchers affiliated with the Institute of Mathematical and Computer Sciences at the University of São Paulo
Essential oils may provide a natural remedy for antibiotic resistance
Thyme, rosemary, and lavender have long been associated with natural medicine. Today, however, these aromatic plants are increasingly being studied by researchers. "In an era of ever-increasing microbial resistance to antibiotics, there is a growing emphasis on the need to
Environmental trade-offs of biodegradable plastics revealed
Switching to biodegradable plastics could slash toxic pollution by more than a third and dramatically reduce global waste by mid-century, but only if cities and companies invest in the right disposal systems, a Yale School of the Environment study found. Without proper
AI model forecasts severe thunderstorms 4 hours ahead with higher accuracy
In a critical advance for climate resilience, researchers from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have developed an AI model that can predict dangerous convective storms—including Black Rainstorms, thunderstorms and extreme heavy rainfall like those that
Framework sets new benchmarks for 3D atom maps in amorphous materials
Researchers at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA published a step-by-step framework for determining the three-dimensional positions and elemental identities of atoms in amorphous materials. These solids, such as glass, lack the repeating atomic patterns seen in a
Geochemical research reveals dietary variability in modern pastoralists
The pastoralist lifestyle is often depicted as an unchanging dietary reliance on herd animals and mobility. This is particularly the case in eastern Africa, where a dedicated focus on herds, meat and dairy, alongside extreme mobility, is seen as the perfect adaptation to
Overlooked threat: Dams trigger temperature-driven disease in iconic salmonid fish
A new study published in Communications Biology reveals a critical, yet previously overlooked, environmental consequence of man-made dams constructed across rivers and streams. By investigating a key indicator species of ecosystem health, the brown trout (Salmo trutta),
Tropical feedback loop: Butterfly mimicry patterns evolve faster near the equator
In the early 1990s, Keith Willmott and a friend, both undergraduate students from the United Kingdom, arrived in Ecuador with impressionable minds and big aspirations. Willmott initially imagined there might be 20 to 30 butterfly species in the region that had yet to be
Beyond polymers: New state-of-the-art 3D micro and nanofabrication technique overcomes material limitations
Building things so small that they are smaller than the width of a human hair was previously achieved by using a method called two-photon polymerization, also known as 2PP—today's state-of-the-art in 3D micro- and nanofabrication. Tiny sculptures such as a miniature replica of
'Holiday mode': Why our green habits vanish on vacation
Being in "holiday mode" makes tourists less environmentally responsible, according to a recent University of Queensland study. Researchers found that while tourists' core environmental values don't change, traveling can activate a "vacation place identity" which makes people
Networks are keeping NASA's Artemis II mission connected
NASA's Artemis II mission will transport four astronauts around the moon, bringing the agency one step closer to sending the first astronauts to Mars. Throughout Artemis II, astronaut voices, images, video, and vital mission data must traverse thousands of miles, carried on
SpaceX eyes IPO timed to planet alignment and Musk birthday: Report
SpaceX is targeting a mid-June initial public offering that would coincide with a rare planetary alignment and founder Elon Musk's birthday, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, as the billionaire entrepreneur seeks to raise a record $50 billion.
A sea turtle with 3 flippers swims free after Florida rehab, now followed by satellite
Cheers rose from a bundled-up crowd as a loggerhead sea turtle that survived a likely shark attack trundled back into the ocean after months of rehabilitation in Florida, carrying a satellite tracker to see how she fares with only three flippers.
Plant mothers send molecular 'text messages' to pollen
Small RNAs are short RNA molecules that help determine which genes in a cell are switched on or off. Until now, it was assumed that the small RNAs necessary for pollen development originate in the pollen itself and in the directly surrounding maternal tissue. However, a new
Changing land use can increase threat of animal‑to‑human disease spread
Changes to land use can directly heighten the risk of diseases spreading from animals to humans, new University of Stirling–led research has shown. The study, led by Dr. Adam Fell of the University's Faculty of Natural Sciences, shows that deforestation, farming, fast-growing
Proton-trapping MNene transforms ammonia production for food security and economic growth
With a new electrochemical synthesis via an electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR), achieving carbon-free ammonia production is closer to reality through work from Drs. Abdoulaye Djire and Perla Balbuena, chemical engineering professors at Texas A&M University, and
Cross-border pollution tracking reveals unequal distribution of risk and responsibility
Microscopic airborne particles known as PM2.5 contribute to 100,000 premature deaths in the United States each year. A new University of Notre Dame study finds that 40% of these deaths can be attributed to pollution that crosses state lines, highlighting the impact of the
Corals sleep like us, but their symbionts never rest
Sleep is essential for much of the animal kingdom. During the night, neuron and tissue repair mechanisms are activated to aid recovery from daily activity. This is risky: organisms that sleep are more vulnerable to predators. However, the phenomenon extends from mammals to
After switch from ULA, SpaceX knocks out speedy national security launch
SpaceX has launched its latest national security mission, yet another GPS satellite that was originally to have been launched by United Launch Alliance. A Falcon 9 that was delayed from Monday because of weather lifted off Tuesday night on the GPS III-9 mission to bring the
How Richard Feynman Found the Root of the Challenger Disaster
The famed physicist’s persistence led him to uncover shocking failures The post How Richard Feynman Found the Root of the Challenger Disaster appeared first on Nautilus .
Pesticides significantly affect soil life and biodiversity, study finds
Seventy percent of soils in Europe are contaminated with pesticides. A Europe-wide study co-led by researchers of the University of Zurich now shows that their effects on soil life are substantial, as pesticides suppress various beneficial soil organisms. To protect soil
Ocean Equity Index offers first global tool to measure ocean fairness
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations Agreement on the High Seas (BBNJ) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) have demonstrated strong commitment by governments and international organizations in recent years to social and environmental
Small-scale farmers produce more of the rich world's food than previously thought
Who grows our food? This seemingly simple question is getting harder to answer in a world where our food crosses borders to get to our plate.
Establishing design principles for achieving ultralow thermal conductivity via controlled chemical disorder
A major challenge in thermal-management and thermal-insulation technologies, across multiple industries, is the lack of materials that simultaneously offer low thermal conductivity, mechanical robustness, and scalable fabrication routes.
A lost world: Ancient cave reveals million-year-old wildlife
Australian and New Zealand scientists have unearthed the remains of ancient wildlife in a cave near Waitomo on Aotearoa's North Island, the first time a large number of million-year-old fossils have been found—including an ancestor of the large flightless Kākāpō parrot.
A protein thought to play a supporting role in DNA replication actually facilitates the whole process
Every time a cell divides, it must copy its entire genome so that each daughter cell inherits a complete set of DNA. During that process, enzymes known as polymerases race along the DNA to copy its code and build new strands. To prevent these machines from detaching mid-copy, a
Global livestock antibiotic use falls, but trade shifts the problem abroad
After decades of growth, the use of antimicrobials—including antibiotics—in livestock peaked in 2013 and then dropped by nearly a third by 2020, finds a major new study led by UCL researchers. The decline is positive, as overusing antimicrobials in animals can create
Unprecedented 3D views of sensory cells accelerate hearing research
The cochlea is the spiral-shaped structure within the inner ear responsible for our sense of hearing. To fully understand hearing functions and open the door to new hearing loss treatments, scientists require intricately detailed views of hair cells within the cochlea that
Novel ferroelectric ultraviolet photodetector achieves near-10,000-fold speed increase
Researchers from the Institute of Metal Research (IMR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a new ferroelectric ultraviolet photodetector material that overcomes the long-standing performance limitations of conventional photodetectors.
JWST spots most distant galaxy ever, pushing the limits of the observable universe
The galaxy MoM-z14 could offer clues to what the universe looked like in its early infancy
Record stretching of metallic bond reveals quantum conductance in gold atomic chains
Researchers from the Institute of Metal Research (IMR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have stretched a chain of gold atoms by a record-breaking 46%, providing direct evidence of how fundamental metal bonds behave under extreme deformation. This study also reveals how
PlasmoBridge chip enables ultrasensitive and rapid monitoring of methotrexate
A research team led by Prof. Wang Hongzhi from the Hefei Institute of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a dual-functional sensor chip called PlasmoBridge, which bridges plasmonic nanoparticles using aptamer molecules. This innovative chip enables
How smart polymer solutions transition to gels around body temperature
In the world of modern medicine, most people focus on the active pharmaceutical ingredients, which are the chemicals that specifically fight a disease's symptoms or causes. However, the unsung heroes of pharmacy are excipients—substances formulated alongside the active
NASA science flights venture to improve severe winter weather warnings
A team of NASA scientists deployed on an international mission designed to better understand severe winter storms. The North American Upstream Feature-Resolving and Tropopause Uncertainty Reconnaissance Experiment, or NURTURE, is an airborne campaign that uses a suite of remote
Deforestation is drying out the Amazon rainforest faster than previously thought
Deforestation is having a more devastating effect on the Amazon rainforest than earlier data suggested. While cutting down large swaths of trees destroys vital habitats, it also harms the region's ability to generate its own rainfall. According to a new study published in the
Psychiatrists plan to overhaul the mental health bible—and change how we define ‘disorder’
The American Psychiatric Association has announced big upcoming changes to psychiatry’s big book of mental disorders, the DSM
New Study Throws a Wrench in Our Understanding of Memory
Some types of memories may not be stored as differently as we thought The post New Study Throws a Wrench in Our Understanding of Memory appeared first on Nautilus .
Quantum batteries could quadruple qubit capacity while reducing energy infrastructure requirements
Scientists have unveiled a new approach to powering quantum computers using quantum batteries—a breakthrough that could make future computers faster, more reliable, and more energy efficient.
Residents from strongly blue or red counties favor like-minded destinations for everyday travel, analysis finds
A new analysis of 471 U.S. counties has found that, for everyday travel, people from counties with particularly strong political leanings—whether liberal or conservative—are more likely to visit like-minded destinations. Zhengyi Liang and Jaeho Cho of the University of
Microplastics found in a third of surveyed fish off the coasts of remote Pacific Islands
A third of fish living in the remote coastal waters of the Pacific Island Countries and Territories are contaminated with microplastics, with especially high rates in Fiji, according to an analysis published in PLOS One by Jasha Dehm at the University of the South Pacific and
