A very strong El Niño is approaching. Here's what we can expect
El Niño is a recurring climate event with impacts across the globe. It has three phases: one cold (known as La Niña), one neutral, and one warm (El Niño).
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Research could pave the way for more resilient winter cereals in warmer climates
The arrival of winter marks not only a change in weather, temperature, and day length, but also a change in our activity and behavior. The social outdoor events and trips to the beach over summer soon become a distant memory, and we ready ourselves for more solitary evenings
Japan's new seafloor record could sharpen megathrust earthquake warnings in Nankai Trough
Off the southern coast of Japan, the Philippine Sea Plate lies underneath the Japanese mainland. The locked tectonic plates threaten to unleash a catastrophic megathrust earthquake, likely within the next few decades. Given the potential devastation a large quake could evoke,
Why 'psychopath' is a dangerous label when it comes to criminal justice
A defendant stands in the dock. An expert describes them as a "psychopath." In an instant, one word threatens to eclipse their history, circumstances and the crime itself.
Thundering footsteps warn caterpillars of lethal ladybeetle attacks
Diminutive warty birch caterpillars (Falcaria bilineata), less than 1.5mm long, ardently defend their leaf tip homes from invading caterpillars by scraping and pounding the leaf to warn off potential invaders. But how might the day-old caterpillars defend themselves when
Watch How “Trashy” City Bowerbirds Attract Their Mates
Human-made objects are just too tempting The post Watch How “Trashy” City Bowerbirds Attract Their Mates appeared first on Nautilus .
Why doesn't coffee taste like caffeine?
Though decaf fans might disagree, caffeine is a critical component of a cup of joe. This compound is incredibly bitter on its own, but regular coffee itself is not. A team reporting in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry has investigated why and explains that the
PFAS in ski wax: Despite bans, these forever chemicals linger in wax rooms—so does their health risk
For more than 30 years, manufacturers of ski and snowboard waxes have used PFAS—per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances—to make skis and snowboards glide faster over snow. These synthetic chemicals were highly effective and common in competitive racing just about everywhere.
Programmable chemistry unlocks drugs only in target cells, aiming to cut side effects
Potent drugs like chemotherapy can be life-saving, but often with life-threatening side effects. Notably, they can be indiscriminate, killing both cancer cells and healthy cells in one swoop. Increasing a drug's on-target efficiency can reduce side effects and enable healthier
Temperature gaps help sneeze clouds stay denser and travel farther, experiments show
When a person coughs or sneezes, they expel a cloud of microscopic particles capable of carrying viruses and bacteria that act as vectors for respiratory diseases such as flu, COVID-19 or tuberculosis. Understanding how these aerosols disperse in the air is crucial for
Water-wave tweezers steer tiny 'surfers' without touching them
Summer brings with it the sight of surfers moving seamlessly across wave crests, with ocean waters carrying them along coastlines. A team of scientists has now created a similar phenomenon—with small objects rather than surfers—that can be controlled by humans rather than by
Antimicrobial peptide naturally found in cows breaks Klebsiella biofilms and kills drug-resistant bacteria
UCF College of Medicine Assistant Professor Renee Fleeman continues to refine a powerful therapy for drug-resistant bacteria that pierces the gooey coating that anchors and protects such germs from the drugs we take to kill them. Her research has found that an antimicrobial
New route to tailor-made diamond nanoparticles holds promise for quantum applications
Nanodiamonds are tiny diamond particles only a few nanometers in size. Because they are chemically highly stable and can host so-called color centers, optically active defects in the crystal lattice, they are considered promising materials for quantum technologies, sensing and
A novel strategy to predict the phase diagram of nickel-cobalt alloys
Researchers at IMDEA Materials Institute have developed a new hybrid methodology that combines quantum mechanics and thermodynamic calculations to predict the phase diagram of nickel-cobalt alloys.
We can predict space weather—what if we could also stop it?
The weather on Earth can get pretty messy sometimes. But in space, it can be wild, and the effects can be far-reaching. Solar flares, giant explosions on the sun, can send out streams of energy that block radio communications and fry satellite electronics. Geomagnetic storms,
Stupid in the Land of Oz
We’re not in Kansas anymore, but you knew that The post Stupid in the Land of Oz appeared first on Nautilus .
Integrating citizen science with experimental data uncovers how switchgrass adapts flowering by region
In its native habitat, switchgrass flowered earlier when growing farther north. In experiments with diverse genetic samples, it flowered earlier in the south.
Brightness 'gap' in ancient star cluster reveals missing red dwarfs
Scientists from the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland, sought to study one stellar subject and ended up finding something even more exciting. The team's results published today in Astronomy & Astrophysics.
Sunrise III data release opens rare high-altitude solar views that could sharpen space weather forecasts
Close to 100 scientists from all over Europe, the United States, and Japan are gathering this week at the Institute for Solar Physics (KIS) in Freiburg to present and discuss the first scientific results from the successful third flight of the balloon-borne solar observatory
Dogs respond to human tone without words, hinting at communication older than language
Humans can communicate various instructions to dogs without using actual words—simply by modulating the tone of their voice, a new study from ELTE University's Department of Ethology shows. By repeating the nonsense syllable 'bü' in different intonations, humans successfully
Nanomagnets control diamond qubits, pointing to more scalable quantum hardware
Quantum computing, once only a theoretical possibility, promises to deliver faster, more energy-efficient computers—but only if scientists can build and scale the hardware needed to run the machines. New research from Virginia Commonwealth University brings scientists one small
Attribution constraints reveal stronger future intensification of the upper‑level Hadley circulation
The Hadley circulation, a key atmospheric conveyor belt transporting heat and moisture from the tropics to the subtropics, directly influences subtropical aridity, the positions of tropical rainfall belts, and extreme weather risks. However, climate models have long shown
Arctic river deltas face rising climate pressure while holding vast frozen carbon reserves
Many rivers flow into the Arctic Ocean north of the Arctic Circle—including the Lena in Siberia and the Mackenzie River in Canada. The deltas of these large and small rivers store large amounts of carbon, which is bound there in frozen soils and sediments. Climate change,
Open-source software unlocks rapid DNA structure generation and analysis in one workflow
Computational chemists at the University of Amsterdam's Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences have developed a comprehensive software suite to create accurate models of DNA in biomolecular assemblies. Called MDNA, the user-friendly molecular modeling toolkit helps
Social networks outsmart cognitive biases: How herding in networks makes populations more rational
In 2010, the New York City-based restaurant Serendipity 3 revealed its $69 hot dog, winning the Guinness World Record for the world's most expensive hot dog. Served on a toasted pretzel roll with truffle butter and covered in foie gras, the award-winning hot dog made the
Giant fan-shaped structure found under East Antarctica
An international team of researchers including our Department of Geography has discovered a vast geological structure hidden beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. The findings are published in the journal Nature Geoscience.
Real-time fish interaction enlarges young guppy brains, while screen time falls short
Young guppies who were able to see and interact with live fish developed larger brains than guppies who only saw other fish on a screen. This is shown in a new study from Stockholm University, published in Biology Letters. The findings suggest that live social interaction in
Cleaner recycling method unlocks reusable plastics from mixed packaging
Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a new method to recycle mixed plastic packaging without using harmful chemical solvents—an approach that could make one of the world's most difficult waste streams significantly easier to
Aluminum oxide's irregular atomic surface explains its low reactivity
Why do certain surfaces behave very differently from what theoretical calculations suggest? Scientists long assumed that the aluminum oxide surface should be highly reactive and capable of splitting water molecules. In experiments, however, this behavior is barely observed.
Warming unlocks ancient carbon in Tibetan permafrost, triggering climate tipping point
A new study in Nature Communications finds a critical climate tipping point in Tibetan permafrost ecosystems. Warming of 2–4 degrees Celsius triggers a self-reinforcing cycle of carbon release that could significantly accelerate climate change, according to the work.
Out-of-plane ice bridges reveal new way to suppress frost spreading
A research team led by Professor Nenad Miljkovic in The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has published a breakthrough study in Nature Physics. The work reports the first experimental discovery of a previously unknown frost
8 out of 10 northern fulmar seabirds have plastic in their stomachs, finds study
Plastic pollution is widespread in the world's oceans. A new study of northern fulmars from the North Atlantic shows that plastic pollution is also common in northern marine areas. The research is published in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin.
Food Noise Goes Quiet with GLP-1s
But there’s a lot we still don’t know about these intrusive thoughts of food The post Food Noise Goes Quiet with GLP-1s appeared first on Nautilus .
'Don't scare the cat!' Engineers find smarter way to measure quantum systems
UNSW Sydney engineers have riffed on the famous Schrödinger's cat analogy to demonstrate a more efficient way to eliminate errors in quantum computing.
Greenland shark genome reveals clues to 400-year lifespan
The first comprehensive map of nearly the entire Greenland shark genome is beginning to reveal some of the genetic clues behind its incredibly long life. The work could one day help scientists develop new cures and treatments for cancer and other age-related diseases.
Political cues steer dating decisions, with cross-party matches often rejected by young Americans
Affective polarization—i.e., an aversion toward supporters of the opposing party—has been shaping American society for years, including when it comes to finding a partner. A new sociological study by Dr. Ansgar Hudde and Shannon Taflinger from the University of Cologne's
Armed with AI, study identifies prey from predator crunching sounds
Interactions between hard-shelled marine mollusks such as clams and snails and their predators play a critical but largely unseen role in shaping coastal ecosystems. These organisms help stabilize shorelines, filter water and support biodiversity, making them foundational to
Even 'safe' air pollution levels can carry health risks
Air pollution does not have to exceed federal limits to potentially harm human health, according to a new published study from the University of Mississippi.
The looming El Niño could be bad – but much worse is to come
Global warming will amplify the impacts of El Niño events, and could also make them much stronger and more far-reaching
SWOT satellite gets clearer ocean data after fix for hidden underwater wave interference
Florida State University research published in Science Advances demonstrates a new framework for predicting the motion of kilometer-scale underwater waves that complicate satellite readings of the ocean.
Overarming America: Game theory explores how fear and social pressure drive gun purchases
A Dartmouth College study is the first to map the interplay of personal choice and social networks that has led to the United States being one of the world's most heavily armed countries, with 120 firearms for every 100 people. The researchers describe in Science Advances how
Abortion restrictions associated with lower female medical school applicant numbers
States with restrictive abortion policies saw slower growth in the proportion of female medical school applicants following the 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade, according to a new study published in the open-access journal PLOS Global Public Health by Amrit Kirpalani of Western
Teen well-being improving after years of post-pandemic concern, major study finds
A major new study of more than 115,000 young people suggests teenage well-being may finally be recovering after years of concern over the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Half-ton early bovines roamed 4-million-year-old grasslands in Europe
The first large-sized bovines grew to up to half a ton 4 million years ago in the European Early Pliocene, an early step toward our modern diversity of large-bodied buffalo and cattle, according to a study published June 3, 2026, in the open access journal PLOS One by Leonardo
Egypt fossils show modern ocean fish rose rapidly after dinosaur extinction
The extinction that ended the Age of Dinosaurs is best known for clearing the way for the Age of Mammals on land. Scientists have long suspected that the same catastrophe also transformed life in the seas, opening ecological space for the rise of modern marine fish faunas. Yet
Traditional, patriarchal Japanese terms for husband and wife may now be perceived as neutral
A new study suggests that, for modern Japanese speakers, two traditional, patriarchal words for "husband" ("shujin," literally meaning "master") and "wife" ("kanai," "inside-the-house") may be losing their original meanings, though men in the study evaluated both traditional
Printed manga may give the brain a storytelling advantage
A new study by researchers at the University of Tokyo explores whether reading manga on paper or on a tablet changes how the brain understands and remembers stories. Participants first read the opening half of a two-part manga story either on paper or on a tablet. Later, while
The Iceman’s Microbiome
Ötzi commensal microorganisms included a surprisingly cold-tolerant yeast The post The Iceman’s Microbiome appeared first on Nautilus .
Octopuses learn mirror-guided navigation to locate prey
Octopuses are remarkably intelligent creatures, as was demonstrated by Inky the Octopus's famous escape from the National Aquarium of New Zealand through a drainpipe back to sea in 2016. A new Dartmouth study shows octopuses can use mirrors to find food out of sight,
Most detailed map of the universe's hidden magnetic fields released
The largest magnetic map of the universe ever produced—five times larger than all previous efforts combined—marks the beginning of a new generation of research into intergalactic magnetism. Magnetic fields influence how galaxies grow, how matter moves through space, and how the
