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Raccoons break into liquor stores, scale skyscrapers and pick locks – studying their clever brains can clarify human intelligence, too
The moment you look away from those adorable eyes, these mischievous creatures will sneak out of your lab. Joshua J. Cotten/Unsplash, CC BY-SA – By Kelly Lambert, Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Richmond Published: 2026 Jan 16 – When a curious raccoon …
World’s fastest-growing plant is also a surprising superfood
Scientists have reviewed everything we know about eating bamboo. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2026 Jan 20 – You might be more familiar with it as a versatile fibrous material or the staple food of giant pandas, but bamboo has now entered the health-food …
Light successfully retunes the brain’s faulty wiring
The big challenge researchers face is finding ways to safely deliver the technique to human patients. Depositphotos By Chelsea Haney 2026 Jan 16– – Optogenetics has long been a powerful experimental tool, but a growing body of research suggests it may now be approaching …
How mountain terraces have helped Indigenous peoples live with climate uncertainty
Farmers during harvest season in Batad, Ifugao, Philippines. Paul Connor and the Ifugao Archaeological Project, CC BY – By Stephen Acabado, Professor of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles Published: 2026 Jan 15 – Indigenous communities have lived with changes to the climate …
Lip-syncing robot watches your face to speak like you
Columbia University’s flexible-faced, lip-syncing EMO robot. Creative Machines Lab – By Ben Coxworth 2026 Jan 16 – When it comes to ultra-humanlike Westworld-style robots, one of their most defining features are lips that move in perfect sync with their spoken words. A new robot …
There’s an intensifying kind of threat to academic freedom – watchful students serving as informants
Approximately 58% of faculty interviewed in a national survey in 2024 reported self-censoring. PM Images/iStock/Getty Images – By Austin Sarat, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science, Amherst College Published: 2026 Jan 14 – Texas A&M University told philosophy professor Martin Peterson …
Could glowing green skin be an alternative to blood sampling?
Scientists have developed engineered skin grafts that fluoresce green when certain biomarker chemicals are present in the bloodstream. Depositphotos – By Ben Coxworth 2026 Jan 14 – Blood sampling is painful and invasive, plus it only tells you what’s going on in the patient’s …
When smell is lost, our sense of touch may replace it
If we lose one sense maybe we can retrain other sensory pathways to pick up the lost information. Depositphotos – By Chelsea Haney 2026 Jan 12 – For millions of people, losing their sense of smell quietly reshapes daily life. Meals lose nuance, familiar …
What is below Earth, since space is present in every direction?
Our solar system is mostly arranged along one plane in space, as in this not-to-scale artist’s diagram. NASA/JPL, CC BY – By Jeff Moersch, Professor of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee Published: 2026 Jan 12 Curious Kids is a series for …
Target-seeking toothpaste goes after bacteria that cause gum disease
A schematic illustration of Porphyromonas gingivalis bacteria (orange), the active compound in the toothpaste (blue) and a healthy microbiome at the transition between gum and tooth. PerioTrap – By Ben Coxworth 2026 Jan 09 – There could be new hope in the fight against …
Damn the torpedoes! Trump ditches a crucial climate treaty as he moves to dismantle America’s climate protections
Severe storms triggered flooding across the central and eastern U.S. in April 2025, including in Kentucky’s capital, Frankfort. Leandro Lozada/AFP via Getty Images – By Gary W. Yohe, Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies, Wesleyan University Published: 2026 Jan 10 – On 2026 Jan …
The 17th-century Pueblo leader who fought for independence from colonial rule – long before the American Revolution
Po’pay’s statue in the U.S. Capitol, representing the state of New Mexico, was dedicated in 2005. Chris Maddaloni/Roll Call/Getty Images – By Peter C. Mancall, Andrew W. Mellon Professor of the Humanities, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Published: 2026 Jan …
Congress takes up health care again − and impatient voters shouldn’t hold their breath for a cure
Congress has long been unable to come to an agreement on how to help constituents pay for health care. iStock/Getty Images Plus – By SoRelle Wyckoff Gaynor, Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Politics, University of Virginia Published: 2026 Jan 07 – As the …
Experimental molecule may be a potent weapon against Alzheimer’s
The NU-9 molecule may one day delay or even prevent the destruction of neurons that begins decades before the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease appear. Depositphotos – By Malcolm Azania 2026 Jan 07 – You think you’re fine. Your family and friends think you’re …
LG’s housekeeper robot designed to automate your daily chores
“LG CLOiD is a robot that uses AI and vision-based technology to perform household tasks like cooking and laundry, connecting seamlessly with LG’s ThinQ ecosystem to automate home life.” LG View 4 Images – By Omar Kardoudi 2026 Jan 06 – LG has …
Deadly flu strain grips the US for the first time and has killed 5,000 to date
The H3N2 subclade K virus has genetically drifted from earlier J.2.4 influenza A strains, and is better at evading our immune system. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2026 Dec 05 – Americans are being urged to be extra vigilant this winter, as a suite …
The key to the cure for aging may lie in extracellular vesicles
A new study explores how extracellular vesicles from embryonic stem cells can protect other cells from oxidative stress, potentially slowing the aging process. Depositphotos – By Malcolm Azania 2026 Jan 04 – Senescence. It’s a beautiful-sounding word whose tones suggest it should be a …
The surprise architects of Japan’s intricate underwater ‘crop circles’
These circles take up to nine days to build. Kawase, Okata & Ito/Scientific Reports/(CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) View 7 Images – By Bronwyn Thompson 2026 Jan 03 – In 1995, divers first noticed a group of bizarre sandy “crop circles” on the seabed around Amami Oshima Island, southwest …
These three discoveries change how we understand coffee and the heart
More than two billion cups of coffee are drunk each day – but we’re still learning about its health benefits. Jonas Jacobsson/Unsplash – By Bronwyn Thompson 2026 Jan 02 – Coffee is one of the most widely consumed psychoactive substances on the planet, yet …
PFAS in pregnant women’s drinking water puts their babies at higher risk, study finds
Studies show PFAS can be harmful to human health, including pregnant women and their fetuses. Olga Rolenko/Moment via Getty Images – By Derek Lemoine, Professor of Economics, University of Arizona And by Ashley Langer, Professor of Economics, University of Arizona And by Bo Guo, Associate …
‘Are you married?’ Why doctors ask invasive questions during treatment
The demographic data collected at doctor’s visits is useful to medical researchers. MoMo Productions/DigitalVision via Getty Images – By Jill Inderstrodt, Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management, Indiana University Published: 2025 Dec 11 – It’s a rare occasion when my worlds of …
Zombie bugs, singing seals and rule-breaking bears: Animals in 2025
These animals shared their lullaby A-game with the world this year. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Dec 30 – It’s that time of year again – and my personal favorite corner of science to look back on – when we recap the many …
The strange thing your eyes do when thinking gets hard
The eyes have it: Our blinking gives away how interested we are in an exchange. Depositphotos – By Pranjal Malewar 2025 Dec 28 – The rhythmic action of blinking helps keep our vision sharp. Initially studied only in vision science, blinking is now also recognized as …
Tea or coffee: One leaves a stronger imprint on your bones
Coffee versus tea: One ranks higher for bone health. Depositphotos – By Pranjal Malewar 2025 Dec 28 – Tea and coffee are two of the most popular drinks in the world – daily rituals linked to culture, comfort, and productivity. Now scientists have new insights …
How C-reactive protein outpaced ‘bad’ cholesterol as leading heart disease risk marker
Blood vessel damage from fatty and high-sugar diets leads to inflammation, which can be detected by measuring C-reactive protein. – By Mary J. Scourboutakos, Adjunct Assistant Professor in Family and Community Medicine, Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University Published: …
Long-term aspartame intake sabotages brain and heart function
Aspartame can be found in an estimated 6,000 foods and drinks worldwide. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Dec 21 – In the first long-term and real-world reflective study of its kind, scientists have uncovered new detrimental health impacts of the artificial sweetener aspartame that …
The best everyday health advice we learned from science in 2025
You’ll be happy to know that hot cocoa is part of your health plan in 2026, especially if you sit a lot. Depositphotos – By Michael Franco 2025 Dec 25 – We certainly saw some major health-related breakthroughs in 2025, including a universal cancer vaccine …
Where the wild things thrive: Finding and protecting nature’s climate change safe havens
Much wildlife relies on cool streams and lush meadows in the Sierra Nevada. By Toni Lyn Morelli, Adjunct Full Professor of Environmental Conservation, UMass Amherst; U.S. Geological Survey And by Diana Stralberg, Adjunct professor, Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta Published: 2025 Dec 17 …
First GLP-1 weight-loss pill on sale in the US within weeks for $149 a month
The oral obesity pill will be in pharmacies in early January. Depositphotos By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Dec 23 – The next transformative phase of weight-loss medication is upon us, with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approving Novo Nordisk’s. – The once-daily oral semaglutide …
What is an atmospheric river? A hydrologist explains the good and bad of these storms and how they’re changing
A satellite image shows a powerful atmospheric river hitting the U.S. West Coast on 2024 Jan 31. NOAA GOES – By Qian Cao, Hydrologist, Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, University of California, San Diego Published: 2024 Jan 30 – Updated: 2024 …
5,200 holes carved into a Peruvian mountain left by an ancient economy
The stretch of thousands of holes earned the site its name, Mont Sierpe (“serpent mountain”). University of Sydney – View 5 Images – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Dec 21 – For nearly a century, a strange band of thousands of holes carved into a …
15-minute hep-C test makes same-day treatment possible
Rapid Hep C diagnosis is 75% faster than existing testing. Depositphotos – By Pranjal Malewar 2025 Dec 19 – Hepatitis C is a tiny virus with a significant impact. It’s a small RNA virus that spreads through the blood and infects the liver. Even …
For burglars, it’s the most wonderful time of the year: how to keep your home safe these holidays
Shutterstock – By Natalie Gately, Senior Lecturer and Researcher, Edith Cowan University And by Suzanne Rock, Lecturer and Researcher in Criminology, Edith Cowan University Published: 2022 Dec 27 – The lead-up to the holiday period is often referred to as the silly season — but …
Weight gain single-handedly prevented by a gut microbe
This composite image shows the rod-shaped Turicibacter bacterium in the foreground, with a cross-section of intestinal wall and fluorescent microscopy of other bacteria in the background. Kendra Klag, PhD – By Michael Franco 2025 Dec 18 – Researchers have homed in on a single …
We can now watch influenza enter human cells
Using a new kind of microscopy process researchers have watched a flu virus break into a human cell in real time. Emma Hyde / ETH Zurich – By Pranjal Malewar 2025 Dec 12 – Every winter, as the air sharpens and scarves return to …
America faced domestic fascists before and buried that history
Fritz Kuhn, center, is congratulated by fellow officers of the German American Bund in New York on 1938 Sep 03. AP Photo – By Arlene Stein, Distinguished Professor of Sociology, Rutgers University Published: 2025 Dec 17 – Masked officers conduct immigration raids. National Guard …
Frog gut bacterium eliminates cancer tumors in mice with a single dose
The Japanese tree frog (Hyla japonica) hosts a bacterium that kills tumors from the inside out. Norio Nomura/iNaturalist/(CC By-SA 4.0) – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Dec 16 – A bacterium from the intestines of Japanese tree frogs has “exhibited remarkably potent” tumor-killing abilities when …
Futuristic pixel-raising display lets you feel what’s onscreen
Though the research is still in its infancy, optotactile pixels could allow screen users to feel what they see. Depositphotos View 5 Images – By Monica J. White 2025 Dec 15 – Could you imagine being able to “feel” the images on your screen? …
Most radioactive site in US is moving on from the Manhattan Project
The Hanford D and DR Reactors circa 1955, next to the Columbia River. View 7 Images – By Chelsea Haney 2025 Dec 14 – A nuclear production facility in Washington state, dubbed the Hanford site, once forged the plutonium that reshaped the world. Now …
Sleep problems and depression can be a vicious cycle, especially during pregnancy − here’s why it’s important to get help
Restless or too little sleep can make us feel unfocused and indecisive the next day. Valerii Apetroaiei/iStock via Getty Images Plus – By Jenalee Doom, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Denver And by Melissa Nevarez-Brewster, Ph.D. student in Developmental Psychology, University of Denver Published: …
Raccoons break into liquor stores, scale skyscrapers and pick locks – studying their clever brains can clarify human intelligence, too
The moment you look away from those adorable eyes, these mischievous creatures will sneak out of your lab. Joshua J. Cotten/Unsplash, CC BY-SA – By Kelly Lambert, Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Richmond Published: 2026 Jan 16 – When a curious raccoon …
World’s fastest-growing plant is also a surprising superfood
Scientists have reviewed everything we know about eating bamboo. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2026 Jan 20 – You might be more familiar with it as a versatile fibrous material or the staple food of giant pandas, but bamboo has now entered the health-food …
Light successfully retunes the brain’s faulty wiring
The big challenge researchers face is finding ways to safely deliver the technique to human patients. Depositphotos By Chelsea Haney 2026 Jan 16– – Optogenetics has long been a powerful experimental tool, but a growing body of research suggests it may now be approaching …
How mountain terraces have helped Indigenous peoples live with climate uncertainty
Farmers during harvest season in Batad, Ifugao, Philippines. Paul Connor and the Ifugao Archaeological Project, CC BY – By Stephen Acabado, Professor of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles Published: 2026 Jan 15 – Indigenous communities have lived with changes to the climate …
Lip-syncing robot watches your face to speak like you
Columbia University’s flexible-faced, lip-syncing EMO robot. Creative Machines Lab – By Ben Coxworth 2026 Jan 16 – When it comes to ultra-humanlike Westworld-style robots, one of their most defining features are lips that move in perfect sync with their spoken words. A new robot …
There’s an intensifying kind of threat to academic freedom – watchful students serving as informants
Approximately 58% of faculty interviewed in a national survey in 2024 reported self-censoring. PM Images/iStock/Getty Images – By Austin Sarat, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science, Amherst College Published: 2026 Jan 14 – Texas A&M University told philosophy professor Martin Peterson …
Could glowing green skin be an alternative to blood sampling?
Scientists have developed engineered skin grafts that fluoresce green when certain biomarker chemicals are present in the bloodstream. Depositphotos – By Ben Coxworth 2026 Jan 14 – Blood sampling is painful and invasive, plus it only tells you what’s going on in the patient’s …
When smell is lost, our sense of touch may replace it
If we lose one sense maybe we can retrain other sensory pathways to pick up the lost information. Depositphotos – By Chelsea Haney 2026 Jan 12 – For millions of people, losing their sense of smell quietly reshapes daily life. Meals lose nuance, familiar …
What is below Earth, since space is present in every direction?
Our solar system is mostly arranged along one plane in space, as in this not-to-scale artist’s diagram. NASA/JPL, CC BY – By Jeff Moersch, Professor of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee Published: 2026 Jan 12 Curious Kids is a series for …
Target-seeking toothpaste goes after bacteria that cause gum disease
A schematic illustration of Porphyromonas gingivalis bacteria (orange), the active compound in the toothpaste (blue) and a healthy microbiome at the transition between gum and tooth. PerioTrap – By Ben Coxworth 2026 Jan 09 – There could be new hope in the fight against …