How roses evolved to become the flower of Valentine’s Day
Roses are red—but their ancestors looked rather different
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What we can learn from lovebirds, the rare birds that mate for life
Minutes after getting to a park in the middle of Phoenix, you can see flashes of green in the sky and hear chatter because love is in the air—or at least, the lovebirds are.
Costa Rica digs up mastodon, giant sloth bones in major archaeological find
Researchers in Costa Rica have unearthed fossils from a mastodon and a giant sloth that lived as many as 40,000 years ago, officials announced Friday, calling it the biggest such find here in decades.
Antipathy toward snakes? Your parents likely talked you into that at an early age
A study of more than 100 kindergarten-age children suggests kids tend to think of snakes differently than they do other animals and that hearing negative or objectifying language about the slithery reptiles might contribute to that way of thinking.
Rocky planet discovered in outer orbit challenges planet formation theory
Astronomers have uncovered a distant planetary system that flips a long-standing rule of planet formation on its head. Around the small red dwarf star LHS 1903, scientists expected to find rocky planets close in and gas giants farther out — the same pattern seen in our own
Astronomers watch a massive star collapse into a black hole without a supernova
A massive star 2.5 million light-years away simply vanished — and astronomers now know why. Instead of exploding in a supernova, it quietly collapsed into a black hole, shedding its outer layers in a slow-motion cosmic fade-out. The leftover debris continues to glow in infrared
New research uncovers how microbes shape ecosystem resilience
Most people think of microbes in simple terms: Some make you sick, while others help keep you healthy. But microbes' influence stretches far beyond human bodies. These astonishingly complex organisms regulate the health of forests, oceans and grasslands and determine how
Some glaciers can suddenly surge forward—with dangerous consequences
It's difficult to forget standing in front of a glacier that is advancing toward you, towering ice pillars constantly cracking as they inch forward. The motion is too slow to see in real time but is obvious from one day to the next.
Scientists used brain stimulation to make people more generous
A new study suggests that generosity may be more than a moral lesson—it could be shaped by how different parts of the brain work together. By gently stimulating two brain regions and syncing their activity, researchers found that people became more willing to share money with
The city of Dallas wants to reduce the World Cup's environmental impact
As millions of visitors prepare to descend on North Texas for the FIFA World Cup, city of Dallas officials say the global spotlight also brings local environmental responsibility.
Quantum research in two ways: From proving someone's location to simulating financial markets
Quantum physics may sound abstract, but Ph.D. candidates Kirsten Kanneworff and David Dechant show that quantum research can also be very concrete. Together, they are investigating how quantum technology can change the world. While Kanneworff worked in the lab to study how
When consent meets reality: How young men navigate intimacy
A new study suggests that young men overwhelmingly support affirmative sexual consent in principle—yet often find its verbal implementation difficult in practice. The research, led by scholars at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and Melbourne University's
600 Florida green sea turtles stranded amid cold plunge
Cold air and frigid waters have caused more than 600 young green sea turtles to wash ashore on Florida's beaches this month—and more are turning up every day.
How a key receptor tells apart two nearly identical drug molecules
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are one of the largest families of cell surface proteins in the human body that recognize hormones, neurotransmitters, and drugs. These receptors regulate a wide range of physiological processes and are the targets of more than 30% of
Polluting the environment for all eternity—and still sticking our heads in the sand
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework states that plastic pollution must be eliminated by 2030. So why haven't we enacted measures that make a real difference?
8 romance novels for readers who love science, too
Scientific American ’s staff recommends eight books that are as full of science as they are of love
Wildflower season starts early: Big displays emerge a month before mid-March
Though superbloom is not a scientific term, that doesn't stop legions from hoping for a giant display of wildflowers come springtime. UC Riverside plant ecologist Loralee Larios weighs in here on the outlook for such a show this year, where one might see it, and how flower
Sophie Adenot, the second French woman to fly to space
When she was growing up, Sophie Adenot plastered her childhood bedroom with posters of rockets launching from Cape Canaveral.
The IceCube experiment is ready to uncover more secrets of the universe
The name "IceCube" not only serves as the title of the experiment, but also describes its appearance. Embedded in the transparent ice of the South Pole, a three-dimensional grid of more than 5,000 extremely sensitive light sensors forms a giant cube with a volume of one cubic
Using books as discussion prompts can help children with language delay
Since the pandemic, more children have been starting school without being "school-ready." In 2022–23, 33% of all children starting reception in England did not have the skills needed for success in school, rising to 45% of children receiving free school meals.
Let these nine romantic animals inspire you on Valentine’s Day
These amorous creatures could put Casanova to shame—from beguiling dancing seahorses to peacocking spiders
The Cosmic Collision That Formed Saturn’s Rings
Computer simulations offer new insights into the oddities of the ringed planet’s moons The post The Cosmic Collision That Formed Saturn’s Rings appeared first on Nautilus .
Northern Britain's oldest human remains are of a young female child, DNA analysis reveals
The oldest human remains ever found in Northern Britain have been identified as a young female three years after being discovered in a Cumbrian cave. Excavated at Heaning Wood Bone Cave in Cumbria's Great Urswick by local archaeologist Martin Stables, the 11,000-year-old bones
Putting economic theory to the test: Cutting local taxes cuts household income
Voters might think less taxes would equate to more money in their pockets, but a new study shows that at the local level, the opposite may actually be true. Economists and politicians have weighed the benefits of different theoretical models for years, but a lack of direct,
AI framework fuses data and literature to speed high-entropy alloy discovery
High-entropy alloys are promising advanced materials for demanding applications, but discovering useful compositions is difficult and expensive due to the vast number of possible element combinations. Now, researchers have developed a novel AI-driven framework that integrates
Recycling strategies of fungi can affect how forests store carbon
Some fungi are wasteful, while others recycle—and this can determine how much carbon is stored in a forest. Researchers at Lund University have now revealed how fungi manage their mycelium, the network that builds the structure of fungus. Using microfluidic chips—units that
A microfluidic chip for one-step detection of PFAS and other pollutants
Environmental pollutant analysis typically requires complex sample pretreatment steps such as filtration, separation, and preconcentration. When solid materials such as sand, soil, or food residues are present in water samples, analytical accuracy often decreases, and
NASA moon mission spacesuit nears milestone
The next-generation spacesuit for NASA's Artemis III mission continues to advance by passing a contractor-led technical review, as the agency prepares to send humans to the moon's South Pole for the first time. Testing is also underway for the new suits, built by Axiom Space,
How did humans develop sharp vision? Lab-grown retinas show likely answer
Humans develop sharp vision during early fetal development thanks to an interplay between a vitamin A derivative and thyroid hormones in the retina, Johns Hopkins University scientists have found. The findings could upend decades of conventional understanding of how the eye
Syntax discovered in the warbling duets of wild parrots
With a few minutes of searching, anyone can find videos online of chatty birds: macaws talk to their keepers, cockatoos sing to the camera, corvids mimic the jarring sounds of construction sites. Research has shown that some birds can understand and use words in context—so,
Helping lobster hatcheries safeguard genetic diversity
Some lobster mothers produce offspring that are far more likely to survive—in findings that could help safeguard lobster diversity. University of Exeter researchers, working in partnership with the National Lobster Hatchery (NLH) in Cornwall, studied European lobsters that
These 5 diets could add years to your life even if you have bad genes
Five dietary patterns that involve eating lots of plants have been linked with living up to three years longer, even among people who are genetically predisposed to have a shorter life
Fossil evidence reveals how gray wolves adapt diets to climate change
Gray wolves adapt their diets as a result of climate change, eating harder foods such as bones to extract nutrition during warmer climates, new research has found. The study, led by the University of Bristol in collaboration with the Natural History Museum, and published in
How the Fastest Land Animal in North America Got Its Need for Speed
Their speediness was likely an adaptation to dashing around increasingly patchy habitats The post How the Fastest Land Animal in North America Got Its Need for Speed appeared first on Nautilus .
Following one of these five diets may be the key to living longer
It’s no surprise that eating fruits and vegetables is good for you, but diets that are rich in these foods could boost longevity, too, according to a new study
Advancing porous materials: Scientists create solar-powered water treatment material
Brazilian scientists have made advances in an area recognized by the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry: the development and application of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). These are porous crystalline materials that have the potential to revolutionize environmental and energy
Hologram processing method boosts 3D image depth of focus fivefold
Researchers from the University of Tartu Institute of Physics have developed a novel method for enhancing the quality of three-dimensional images by increasing the depth of focus in holograms fivefold after recording, using computational imaging techniques. The technology
New MOF material achieves real-time fluoride removal and detection in water
Recently, a research team led by Prof. Kong Lingtao at the Institute of Solid State Physics, the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences developed a new metal-organic framework (MOF)-based material capable of efficiently removing fluoride ions
Shaping carbon fiber with electricity: Wireless voltage pulses drive reversible bending
Controlled manipulation of fibers that are as thin as or even thinner than human hair is a real challenge. Despite technological development, the precise and reversible change of the microfibers' orientation is not easy. The interdisciplinary team of researchers from the
Hunting dark matter 'stars' that mimic black holes
Hypothetical dark matter stars known as "boson stars" could leave telltale ripples across the cosmos, offering researchers a new way to probe the invisible forces shaping the universe. In 2019, a strange event was observed in the depths of space. Called GW190521, the event sent
Time crystals could become accurate and efficient timekeepers
Time crystals could one day provide a reliable foundation for ultra-precise quantum clocks, new mathematical analysis has revealed. Published in Physical Review Letters, the research was led by Ludmila Viotti at the Abdus Salam International Center for Theoretical Physics in
Changing the way we warn about natural disasters
With extreme weather events, fires and floods growing increasingly common, general warnings are no longer adequate. Researchers at Uppsala University, in collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization and others, now call for change—from mass mailings to personalized
Model maps Valencia's October 2024 flood, finding water topped four meters
A study led by Francisco Vallés Morán, a researcher at the Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering (IIAMA) at the Universitat Politècnica de València, has analyzed in detail the flooding caused by the DANA on 29 October 2024 in l'Horta Sud (Valencia) using advanced
Artificial wetlands can protect water quality
On the occasion of World Wetlands Day, the Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering (IIAMA) at the Universitat Politècnica de València highlights the importance of these ecosystems as key tools for improving water quality, protecting soil and mitigating diffuse
Ancestral motif enables broad DNA binding by NIN, a master regulator of rhizobial symbiosis
Researchers at University of Tsukuba have uncovered a master transcriptional regulator that controls rhizobial symbiosis between plants and nitrogen-fixing bacteria. By identifying an amino acid motif that emerged before the appearance of rhizobial symbiosis, they show that
Most precise map yet of agricultural emissions charts a path to reduce hotspots
To lower agricultural emissions, policymakers and communities first need to pinpoint the sources—not just by country but crop by crop, field by field. In a study published in Nature Climate Change, researchers have synthesized data from multiple ground sources and models to map
IceCube upgrade adds six deep sensor strings to detect lower-energy neutrinos
Since 2010, the IceCube Observatory at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station has been delivering groundbreaking measurements of high-energy cosmic neutrinos. It consists of many detectors embedded in a volume of Antarctic ice measuring approximately one cubic kilometer. IceCube
Identifying pathways for managing PFAS waste in semiconductor manufacturing
As semiconductor manufacturing rapidly expands to meet growing global demand for generative AI and advanced electronics, a new review published in Environmental Science & Technology assesses the current state of science, technology, and policy around managing per- and
Could the discovery of a tiny RNA molecule explain the origins of life?
One of the greatest mysteries of our planet is how a soup of lifeless chemicals transformed into the first living cell. There are several competing theories about where this happened, from frozen polar ice to superheated hydrothermal vents. But one thing that most scientists
Is the Supervolcano in Yellowstone About to Erupt?
Weird things are happening in Yellowstone National Park The post Is the Supervolcano in Yellowstone About to Erupt? appeared first on Nautilus .