Heavy polar molecules are some of the most sensitive tools physicists have for probing what lies beyond the Standard Model, the theory that describes the particles and forces we know about. But turning that sensitivity into precise, trustworthy measurements has long been held
In recent summers, wildfire smoke has been inescapable across Wisconsin, drifting south from Canada and leading to long stretches of poor air quality. Whether that smoke clears or lingers is often influenced in part by the atmospheric boundary layer—the lowest part of the
Our tales of AI developing the will to survive, commandeer resources, and manipulate people say more about us than they do about language models. The post Why Do We Tell Ourselves Scary Stories About AI? appeared first on Nautilus .
Focus, commitment, and insight resulted in a “once in a century” proof. Hong Wang is now just the third woman to win a Fields Medal. The post Living Fully in the Math World Means Threading the Needle first appeared on Quanta Magazine
Determination and effort propelled Jacob Tsimerman to the top of the math world. But now that he’s won a Fields Medal, he worries that the field is in jeopardy. The post Sometimes Being First Means Seeing the End Before Anyone Else first appeared on Quanta Magazine
John Pardon sees connections between different areas of math that others don’t. For that vision, he’s now been awarded a Fields Medal. The post The Quietest Mathematician Has Always Been Worth Listening To first appeared on Quanta Magazine
Tanneries generate large quantities of skin trimmings before hides are tanned. These trimmings contain collagen but are commonly treated as low-value waste. An international research team has developed a method that uses ficin, a protein-digesting enzyme obtained from fig
Before he won a Fields Medal for his pioneering work balancing randomness and order, Yu Deng first had to achieve equilibrium in his own life. The post Amid Life’s Chaos, a Meticulous Mathematician Finds Stability first appeared on Quanta Magazine
There is an urgent need for better support for older teenagers entering care for the first time, new Griffith University research has found. Professor Silke Meyer from Griffith's School of Allied Health, Sport and Social Work conducted a scoping review that examined research on
People who accept that there may not always be a perfect career choice and learn to make decisions despite uncertainty are more likely to find their work meaningful, satisfying and engaging, according to research published in the Journal of Counseling Psychology.
Curtin University-led research has unveiled a new teaching approach that could help incorporate Aboriginal languages into Australian classrooms, teach younger generations and potentially prevent important cultural connections from being lost.
In cases of extreme drought, soil organic carbon does not improve crop yields, Colorado State University research has found. The finding contradicts the commonly held belief that soil organic carbon benefits yields most during drought.
Physician-scientists hold a unique role in the medical field. They balance patient care with conducting research. Physician-scientists spend much of their time in laboratories performing experiments to drive innovation across a wide range of medical treatments. But their
But why? The post Watch Orcas Play With (Read: Obliterate) Their Food appeared first on Nautilus .
The level of inequity experienced by young people with disability has remained largely unchanged since the turn of the century, according to new research led by Flinders University. Using data from the Household, Income and Labor Dynamics in Australia Survey (HILDA),
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have captured one of the clearest views yet of how an early supermassive black hole may grow within a network of young galaxies. The compact active galaxy, seen just a billion years after the Big Bang, lies beside a
When it comes to protecting livestock from devastating diseases, simply telling people what to do may not be enough. A new review led by a researcher from the University of Vermont and collaborators from two institutions in Australia suggests that improving farm biosecurity
In January 2025, the Trump administration announced a 90-day freeze on all United States government (USG) foreign aid, which subsequently became a permanent shutdown of USAID in July 2025. New research finds that the abrupt cessation of foreign aid disrupted health and
About 22,000 years ago, a giant brown bear lumbered across what is now Portugal. The creature weighed around 385 kg (about 850 pounds), making it one of the largest of its kind ever found, dwarfing even the largest brown bears today.
There are many observations of animals behaving oddly during eclipses, but the reason may have nothing to do with the sun and moon
Human-caused climate change has intensified a drought across Europe, with extreme heat rather than low rainfall driving the exceptionally dry conditions, a team of international scientists said Thursday.
In most everyday materials, such as copper, silver and silicon, the behavior of electrons is relatively predictable. In quantum materials, however, electrons can interact in complex ways, giving rise to collective electronic states with remarkable properties. Understanding how
Keeping food waste out of landfills provides climate and other environmental benefits, and Vermont requires residents to divert these materials to better management pathways. With other states considering similar policies, UVM researchers studied the potential outcomes of
As dawn breaks over Ghana's Atlantic coast, artisanal fishing boats return to shore with last night's catch—baskets of snapper, crabs, rays and a distinct-looking fish locals call "esene."
Britain's record-breaking June heat wave resulted in some 24 million lost hours of work, costing the economy £1.15 billion ($1.5 billion), according to an estimate released Thursday by the London School of Economics (LSE).
Scientists working to save a coral species from extinction transported 30 pieces from nurseries off the Florida coast to a hatchery on land Wednesday, fearing that warming waters could trigger a mass bleaching event this summer that could wipe them out.
The behavior could be a strategy to help younger orcas feed, or it may just be for their own amusement, researchers say
Orcas are known to be smart and ruthless hunters. They've been observed hunting a variety of prey, with some species, such as whales, larger than themselves. They use a wide range of strategies to hunt and kill prey, but now, in the Gulf of California, researchers have observed
This strategy expands orcas’ already broad repertoire for dispatching different types of prey.
A new study of incarcerated women in Chile reveals that women respond to imprisonment in very different ways: While most experienced little change in their involvement in crime after release, those with higher levels of past criminal involvement transitioned toward less
Consumer behavior accounts for almost two-thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions. Research published in the International Journal of Business Excellence argues that reducing absolute consumption, rather than simply making it greener, needs to be a priority in environmental
In Tunisia, long power outages across the country have added to the strain of an intense heat wave, with temperatures as high as 49°C (120°F), leaving many fearing for their livelihoods.
Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have developed a new way to add large pieces of genetic information to plants, overcoming a challenge that has limited plant biotechnology for decades. The advance could help scientists build more complex
Anyone who has boiled a pot of water understands that it takes both time and energy to raise the temperature, so it may come as a surprise to learn that scientists have long treated marine heat waves (MHWs) as isolated events. New research led by William & Mary's VIMS & Batten
An international study led by researchers from the University of Tartu shows that approximately 470 million years ago, a significant ecological change took place in the world's oceans: For the first time, the interiors of empty mollusk shells began to be used as habitats. This
Quantum information is notoriously fragile. Internet traffic is anything but. Yet Northwestern University scientists have demonstrated they can peacefully coexist inside the same fiber-optic cable.
As the world faces new and often untreatable viral threats, Simon Fraser University researchers have found a way to cut years off the time it takes to discover antiviral drugs. The new research enables scientists to quickly create large libraries of nucleoside analogs (NAs),
Reliably generating controlled miniature rotations has long been a challenge: Chemical propulsion systems wear out, and methods that use electric or magnetic fields require complex setups. A team from KIT's Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT) and the Suzhou Institute
For cells to function properly, they must produce the right amount of each protein. It is a delicate balance: Both too little and too much can compromise essential cellular functions. A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has now shown that even a modest excess of
Microplastics are an increasing global concern, with growing evidence of their presence in water systems. RMIT University researchers have developed a water treatment material that rapidly removes micro- and nanoplastics and some PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances),
In a new study, researchers at Leipzig University have identified a major cause of the unusually severe summer soil drying and rising temperatures across Europe. They found that much of the trend can be attributed to changes in atmospheric circulation patterns—that is, shifts
Researchers at Skoltech, together with a colleague from the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, working within the joint SIOM–Skoltech laboratory, have determined how to select the thickness and density of a plasma target so that
A new study looked at almost one million married couples and found dementia clustered among couples. Shared lifestyle doesn’t explain everything. The post Your Dementia Risk Is Higher If Your Spouse Has It—But It’s More Than Shared Lifestyle appeared first on Nautilus .
In recent years, research using artificial intelligence to predict material properties has advanced rapidly. Neural network quantum Monte Carlo methods have attracted attention as highly accurate simulation techniques. However, their extremely high computational cost has
Our bodies generate extremely weak magnetic fields as electric currents flow through the heart, brain and other tissues. These signals are used in magnetocardiography and magnetoencephalography to assess heart function and brain activity, respectively. These fields can be
Positive crowd reactions like applause and laughter can make controversial political messages more acceptable to viewers, according to new research by psychologist Dr. Carl Senior at Aston University. The research suggests that how broadcasters and content creators use
Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have become a standard in modern devices with incredible contrast and sleek designs. While initially an expensive luxury, OLEDs are gradually becoming more financially accessible as the technology improves. Now, researchers at the Institute
A major new study led by Swansea University has shown that upstream river management, rather than local rainfall, is the primary driver of one of the world's most important wetlands. According to the research published in Scientific Reports, which analyzed more than two decades
The first five years (2019–2024) of operations of The Ocean Cleanup's Automated Debris Imaging System (ADIS) have been reviewed, and the findings have been published in Environmental Research Communications. In addition to reviewing the technology's performance, the study
All cellular life—from humans to bacteria—possesses two layers of immunity: innate and adaptive. Scientists have long understood how these two types of immunity work together in higher organisms but not in the microbial world.
