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Spherical RoboBall could tackle Moon’s toughest terrain
Concept of RoboBall on the Moon. Kaitlyn Johnson/Texas A&M Engineering – By David Szondy 2025 Sep 01 – We’re used to rovers exploring the Moon or Mars to have legs and wheels for moving around, but a team at Texas A&M led by Robert …
Misunderstood Malthus: The English thinker whose name is synonymous with doom and gloom has lessons for today
A portrait of Thomas Malthus by John Linnell. Wellcome Collection via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY – By Roy Scranton, Associate Professor of English, University of Notre Dame Published: 2025 Aug 22 – No one uses “Malthusian” as a compliment. Since 1798, when the …
Fat ‘traffic controller’ protein is a new target for weight loss
Scientists discover how one key protein regulates where fat goes and how it is stored inside cells. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Aug 28 – Scientists have identified a protein that acts as a kind of traffic controller for fat inside cells, revealing …
This mysterious celestial object is like nothing astronomers have ever seen
The object was discovered during observations of a galaxy named NGC 4945X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ degli Studi Roma Tre/A.Marinucci et al, Optical: ESO/VLT & NASA/STScI – By Chelsea Haney 2025 Aug 29 – Astronomers have discovered a new celestial object, a compact radio beacon located in …
Escaped slaves on St. Croix hid their settlements so well, they still haven’t been found – archaeologists using new mapping technology are on the hunt
The red square on this 1767 map of St. Croix marks where Danes believed the Maroon settlement was. Paul Kuffner/Royal Danish Library – By Justin Dunnavant, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles Published: 2025 Aug 27 – “For a long …
Rare genetic mutation makes some people resistant to viral infections
A new kind of antiviral treatment may be on the way, thanks to the strange genetics of people who seem to not be infected by viruses. Depositphotos – By Pranjal Malewar 2025 Aug 27 – It began quietly, tucked away in the immune systems …
Cyclotron saves periodic table when physics goes bonkers
The actinide group of the periodic table. Berkeley Lab – By David Szondy 2025 Aug 27 – Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are using the 88-Inch Cyclotron to help steady the famous periodic table of elements one atom at …
Plaque-hunting nanoparticles detect and disarm the driver of heart disease
Triple-threat nanoparticles can identify artery build-up, break down the plaques and suppress inflammation. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Aug 26 – A new generation of “theranostic” nanoparticles has been shown to both detect and reduce plaques in the arteries. Nanoparticles absorbed by immune …
Birds are singing almost an hour longer each day: Here’s why
The researchers know that birds sing longer in light-polluted areas, but aren’t sure if that’s a positive or negative development. Photo by Claus H. Godbersen on Unsplash – By Michael Franco 2025 Aug 21 – If you’ve noticed that you’re hearing birdsong longer into …
Morning coffee delivers a unique mood boost unlike a cup at any other time
Your morning coffee is good for your wellbeing, according to science. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Aug 24 – If you feel that your morning coffee puts a spring in your step, science agrees. In the first large-scale real-world study of its kind, …
Cultivating for color: The hidden trade-offs between garden aesthetics and pollinator preferences
Colorful gardens can be pollinator-friendly with native flowering plants. Borchee/E+ via Getty Images – By Claire Therese Hemingway, Assistant Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee Published: 2025 Aug 18 – People often prioritize aesthetics when choosing plants for their gardens. They …
Vikings were captivated by silver – our new analysis of their precious loot reveals how far they traveled to get it
Ready for the Campaign (The Varangian Sea) (1910), by Nicholas Roerich, depicts Viking-era Scandinavian traders on the banks of the Dnieper River in eastern Europe. Heritage Image Partnership/Alamy – By Jane Kershaw, Gad Rausing Associate Professor of Viking Age Archaeology, University of Oxford …
Do people dream in color or black and white?
One way to remember your dreams better: Write them down the moment you wake up. Andriy Onufriyenko/Moment via Getty Images – By Kimberly Fenn, Professor of Psychology, Michigan State University Published: 2025 Aug 18 Curious Kids is a series for children of …
Ultra-processed foods might not be the real villain in our diets – here’s what our research found
JeniFoto/Shutterstock – By Graham Finlayson, Professor of Psychobiology, University of Leeds And by James Stubbs, Professor in Appetite & Energy Balance, Faculty of Medicine and Health School of Psychology, University of Leeds Published: 2025 Aug 15 – Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have become public enemy …
Laser-free vision correction uses electrical current to reshape eye
Scientists develop method to correct eyesight without surgery like LASIK. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Aug 19 – Imagine correcting your vision in under a minute – no lasers, blades or pain. Scientists have developed a novel, non-invasive technique that reshapes the cornea …
‘Brain-eating amoeba’ with 97% fatality rate found in tap water
While infection from it is rare, the brain-eating amoeba has a formidable kill rate. Created with ChatGPT 5 – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Aug 18 – One of the most dangerous microorganisms on Earth, Naegleria fowleri has a well-earned nickname as the “brain-eating amoeba,” …
Autism risk may be programmed by obesity before pregnancy
Pre-pregnancy obesity may raise autism risk in offspring. Caleb Woods on Unsplash – By Paul McClure 2025 Aug 16 – Obesity before pregnancy, not just during, may shape a child’s brain and raise the risk of autism spectrum disorder, a new study has …
The growing fad of ‘microdosing’ mushrooms is leading to an uptick in poison control center calls and emergency room visits
Amanita mushrooms are commonly used in mushroom-based products. Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library via Getty Images – By Joshua Kellogg, Assistant Professor of Natural Product Chemistry, Penn State Published: 2025 Aug 15 – Imagine you purchase a bag of gummies labeled nootropic – a term …
Climate models reveal how human activity may be locking the Southwest into permanent drought
A worker moves irrigation tubes on a farm in Pinal County, Ariz. A two-decade drought has made water supplies harder to secure. Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images – By Pedro DiNezio, Associate Professor of Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder …
Spiderweb silks and architectures reveal millions of years of evolutionary ingenuity
An orchard orb weaver spider rests in the center of her web. Daniela Duncan/Moment via Getty Images – By Ella Kellner, Ph.D. Student in Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina – Charlotte Published: 2025 Aug 13 – Have you ever walked face-first into a …
Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska is a reminder that the 49th state was once a Russian territory
A few of Alaska’s residents take in the view ahead of Putin’s visit to the state to meet his American counterpart. Piriya Photography/Moment via Getty Images – By William L. Iggiagruk Hensley, Visiting Distinguished Professor, University of Alaska Anchorage Published: 2025 Jan 08, …
Stark warning for US as hurricane ‘traffic jams’ 10x more likely to form
Clustered storms, like in 2017 when Harvey, Irma and María hit in quick succession, have the potential to cause more extensive damage than a single hurricane. Created with ChatGPT 5 – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Aug 11 – The North Atlantic has claimed a …
AI will soon be able to audit all published research – what will that mean for public trust in science?
Jamillah Knowles & Digit/Better Images of AI, CC BY-SA – By Alexander Kaurov, PhD Candidate in Science and Society, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington And by Naomi Oreskes, Professor of the History of Science, Harvard University Published: 2025 Jul 24 …
Side-effect-free male contraceptive pill achieves milestone in its human trial
Male birth control pill YCT-529 advances to the next stage of human trials. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Aug 10 – Finally, researchers are closing in on an oral male contraceptive pill that works without hormones, offers full reversibility and – most strikingly …
Natural combo restores brain cleanup and reduces Alzheimer’s proteins
Combining two natural compounds revives the brain’s cleanup processes. Depositphotos original extended using GenAI – By Paul McClure 2025 Aug 06 – A green tea extract and vitamin B3 combo may hold the key to reviving the brain’s natural cleanup crew, restoring energy, clearing …
Authoritarian rulers aren’t new – here’s what Herodotus, an early Greek historian, wrote about them
Darius I of Persia, center, and his court, from a vase painted between 340 and 320 B.C.E., on display at the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. Carlo Raso/ Flickr, CC BY-SA – By Debbie Felton, Professor of Classics, UMass Amherst Published: 2025 Aug …
US citizenship was forced on Native Americans 100 years ago − its promise remains elusive
Indian boarding schools intentionally separated Native children from their families and taught them to be ‘model American citizens.’ Humboldt County Collection Photos. Special Collections, California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt Library, CC BY-ND – By Kerri J. Malloy, Assistant Professor of Native American and Indigenous …
New targeted rheumatoid arthritis drug delays disease, reduces flare-ups
A new targeted immune-modulating drug holds promise for people with RA. Depositphotos – By Paul McClure 2025 Aug 06 – A new nanoparticle drug has shown preclinical promise in both preventing rheumatoid arthritis and reducing painful flare-ups, offering hope for a targeted, steroid-sparing treatment …
FDA approves breakthrough eye drops that fix near vision without glasses
These new drops offer up to 10 hours of clearer vision without glasses. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Aug 06 – The first aceclidine-based eye drop to improve near vision in adults with presbyopia, which affects more than 100 million adults in the …
You’re inhaling 68,000 bits of microplastic at home every single day
Microplastics break off from a wide range of plastic objects in the home with day-to-day use, as well as from synthetic materials in our cars. FlyD on Unsplash – By Abhimanyu Ghoshal 2025 Jul 31 – Research out of the University of Toulouse, France, …
4,000-year-old teeth reveal just how long we’ve been getting high
Betel nuts wrapped in betel leaves, a common preparation for chewing. Ffggss/Wikimedia Commons – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Aug 04 – Traces of a psychoactive compound has been detected in the dental plaque of a Bronze Age woman buried in Thailand some 4,000 years …
‘Nature’s Ozempic’ triggers weight-loss pathway without the side effects
A byproduct produced when tryptophan is metabolized by gut bacteria could become a natural obesity treatment. DALL-E – By Paul McClure 2025 Aug 03 – Byproducts from gut bacteria breaking down tryptophan, a dietary amino acid, can restore hormone-secreting gut cells reduced by obesity, …
Yellowstone has been a ‘sacred wonderland’ of spiritual power and religious activity for centuries – and for different faith groups
Beehive Geyser, in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. Thomas S. Bremer – By Thomas S. Bremer, Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies, Rhodes College Published: 2025 Jul 24 – Nearly 5 million travelers come to Wyoming to visit Yellowstone National Park each …
Nearly 7,000 dams have shifted the Earth’s North Pole by 3 feet
Humans building thousands of dams over the past century have changed the planet’s mass distribution, shifting the globe’s axis. Depositphotos – By Jay Kakade 2025 Jul 30 – Over the past two centuries, the construction of thousands of dams has done more than just …
How our modern-day potato evolved from tomatoes 9 million years ago
New research has traced the evolutionary origins of the modern potato all the way back to an interbreeding event with tomatoes nine million years ago. Made with Google AI – By Jay Kakade 2025 Jul 31 – Tracing the potato’s deep ancestry, researchers have …
Kamchatka earthquake is among top 10 strongest ever recorded. Here’s what they have in common
Kamchatka Krai earthquake location. USGS – By Dee Ninis, Earthquake Scientist, Monash University And by John Townend, Professor of Geophysics, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Published: 2025 Jul 30 – Today at about 11:30am local time, a magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck …
‘AI veganism’: Some people’s issues with AI parallel vegans’ concerns about diet
Ethical concerns – like the mistreatment of content creators decried by this protester – drive both veganism and resistance to using AI. Mario Tama/Getty Images – By David Joyner, Associate Dean and Senior Research Associate, College of Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology Published: 2025 …
Not all probiotics are created equal – some help gut recovery, others harm
Some probiotics help gut recovery, while others harm it. Depositphotos – By Paul McClure 2025 Jul 26 – Not all probiotics are created equal. A new study found that one commonly available strain made a gut infection worse, while another helped stop it in …
Temporary tattoo could prevent sexual assaults – by changing color
In this proof-of-concept tattoo, lettering changes from yellow to red when exposed to the date rape drug GHB. Adapted from ACS Sensors 2025, DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.4c03737 – By Ben Coxworth 2025 Jul 26 – While it’s very important to know if a “date rape” drug …
The first 100% effective HIV prevention drug is approved and going global
Not for profit: Gilead, with the Global fund, is waving royalties from the breakthrough drug to reach two million people worldwide. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Jul 26 – An epidemic that’s been sustained for 44 years might finally be quelled, with the …
Spherical RoboBall could tackle Moon’s toughest terrain
Concept of RoboBall on the Moon. Kaitlyn Johnson/Texas A&M Engineering – By David Szondy 2025 Sep 01 – We’re used to rovers exploring the Moon or Mars to have legs and wheels for moving around, but a team at Texas A&M led by Robert …
Misunderstood Malthus: The English thinker whose name is synonymous with doom and gloom has lessons for today
A portrait of Thomas Malthus by John Linnell. Wellcome Collection via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY – By Roy Scranton, Associate Professor of English, University of Notre Dame Published: 2025 Aug 22 – No one uses “Malthusian” as a compliment. Since 1798, when the …
Fat ‘traffic controller’ protein is a new target for weight loss
Scientists discover how one key protein regulates where fat goes and how it is stored inside cells. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Aug 28 – Scientists have identified a protein that acts as a kind of traffic controller for fat inside cells, revealing …
This mysterious celestial object is like nothing astronomers have ever seen
The object was discovered during observations of a galaxy named NGC 4945X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ degli Studi Roma Tre/A.Marinucci et al, Optical: ESO/VLT & NASA/STScI – By Chelsea Haney 2025 Aug 29 – Astronomers have discovered a new celestial object, a compact radio beacon located in …
Escaped slaves on St. Croix hid their settlements so well, they still haven’t been found – archaeologists using new mapping technology are on the hunt
The red square on this 1767 map of St. Croix marks where Danes believed the Maroon settlement was. Paul Kuffner/Royal Danish Library – By Justin Dunnavant, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles Published: 2025 Aug 27 – “For a long …
Rare genetic mutation makes some people resistant to viral infections
A new kind of antiviral treatment may be on the way, thanks to the strange genetics of people who seem to not be infected by viruses. Depositphotos – By Pranjal Malewar 2025 Aug 27 – It began quietly, tucked away in the immune systems …
Cyclotron saves periodic table when physics goes bonkers
The actinide group of the periodic table. Berkeley Lab – By David Szondy 2025 Aug 27 – Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are using the 88-Inch Cyclotron to help steady the famous periodic table of elements one atom at …
Plaque-hunting nanoparticles detect and disarm the driver of heart disease
Triple-threat nanoparticles can identify artery build-up, break down the plaques and suppress inflammation. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Aug 26 – A new generation of “theranostic” nanoparticles has been shown to both detect and reduce plaques in the arteries. Nanoparticles absorbed by immune …
Birds are singing almost an hour longer each day: Here’s why
The researchers know that birds sing longer in light-polluted areas, but aren’t sure if that’s a positive or negative development. Photo by Claus H. Godbersen on Unsplash – By Michael Franco 2025 Aug 21 – If you’ve noticed that you’re hearing birdsong longer into …
Morning coffee delivers a unique mood boost unlike a cup at any other time
Your morning coffee is good for your wellbeing, according to science. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Aug 24 – If you feel that your morning coffee puts a spring in your step, science agrees. In the first large-scale real-world study of its kind, …