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The oldest evidence of mourning rituals reveals Paleolithic communities grieved like we do
The remains of ‘The Prince’ of Arene Candide in the archeological museum of Pegli, Italy. Our ability to use symbolic materials in order to tackle complex emotions, like processing loss, stretches back at least 27,500 years. (Public domain via Wikimedia Commons) – By Layla …
Bright evening light tied to macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts
Bright lights in the evening could put you at greater risk of eye disease. Dominika Gregušová/Pexels/Canva – By Bronwyn Thompson 2026 Jun 22 – In a massive study of more than 80,000 adults, scientists have found a link between bright artificial light in the …
Trump proposes putting political goals above objective criteria in deciding who gets government grants, from childcare to research to public safety
Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought’s agency is behind this drive to shake up federal grantmaking. Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images – By Mirae Kim, Associate Professor of Nonprofit Studies, George Mason University Published: 2026 Jun 15 – The federal government provides grants …
‘Smart’ running safety vest packs radar, GPS and emergency alert system
The RunSafePro vest is presently on Kickstarter. RunSafePro View 6 Images – By Maryna Holovnova 2026 Jun 18 – Running is often promoted as one of the simplest sports to pick up – put on a pair of running shoes and head out. In …
Spider eyes inspire ultra-efficient depth-sensing camera
The SpiderCam is inspired by the two primary eyes of the jumping spider. Depositphotos – By Shirl Leigh 2026 Jun 19 – A new 3D camera inspired by jumping spiders’ eyes may well be found in the next generation of battery-operated wearable tech, assistive …
Juneteenth reminds us of Black Americans’ long struggle for education following end of slavery
Students and teachers pose outside a National Freedmen’s Bureau school in Beaufort, S.C., in 1865. Corbis/Getty Images – By Rodney Coates, Professor of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, Miami University Published: 2026 Jun 16 – The abolitionist and writer Frederick Douglass is known for …
Bonfires, Maypoles and a saint’s day: How Europe celebrates the longest day of the year
People wear traditional clothes as they celebrate St. John’s Day and the Summer Solstice in Kernave, Lithuania, on 2024 Jun 23. AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis – By Thomas A. DuBois, Professor of Scandinavian Studies, Folklore, and Religious Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison Published: 2026 Jun 17 …
How Wall Street is shifting electric utilities toward consolidation and profit
What’s driving electric utility companies to merge? jayk7/Moment via Getty Images – By Conor Harrison, Associate Professor of Economic Geography, University of South Carolina Published: 2026 Jun 16 – A corporate merger that would form the largest electric utility in the United States is …
Paving paradise: Dismantling the US Roadless Rule threatens to disrupt wildlife, water and peace in the last quiet places in America
A sign on a dirt hiking trail in the Tongass National Forest in southeast Alaska points to naturalist John Muir’s cabin. Wanderluster/iStock/Getty Images – By Mariah Meek, Associate Professor of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University And by Travis Belote, Assistant Professor of Landscape Ecology, …
El Niño is back, and ocean temperatures are already near record highs – that can spell disaster for fish and corals
As ocean temperatures rise during El Niño, fish can find themselves in hot water. Geoff Trodd/Unsplash – By Dillon Amaya, Climate Research Scientist, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Published: 2026 Jun 12 – It’s official: El Niño is back. By late fall 2026, forecast …
Glucosamine supplements may speed memory loss from Alzheimer’s, new research shows
Glucosamine is sold over the counter. Amanda Mascarelli – By Ramon Sun, Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida Published: 2026 Jun 09 – People with Alzheimer’s disease who took the common supplement glucosamine were 25% more likely to die within …
Killing cancer requires immune cells to infiltrate tumors’ hostile microenvironment – sugar shields can help them break in
CAR-T cells must overcome cancer’s many defenses in order to mount an effective attack. Lulu Pérez, CC BY-SA – By Charles J. Dimitroff, Professor of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Florida International University And by Lee Seng Lau, Postdoctoral Associate in Cellular and Molecular …
How cuts to CDC are dismantling its capacity to protect Americans’ health
People protest recent layoffs outside the main campus of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta on 2025 Apr 01. Elijah Nouvelage via Getty Images – By Candice Johnson, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Michigan State University Published: 2026 Jun 10 – Since …
Life after death: From burned trees to bleached corals, how dead organisms live on as the building blocks of new life
A whitebark pine seedling grows in soil and deteriorating wood blackened by fire in Glacier National Park, Montana, in 2019. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images – By Kai Kopecky, Postdoctoral Researcher in Community Ecology, University of Colorado Boulder And by John Kominoski, Professor of Ecology, Florida …
The Social Security trust fund will run dry in 2032 – what that means for retirees and workers who hope to retire
Social Security has lasted as long as it has thanks to the bipartisan deal that President Ronald Reagan and congressional leaders hammered out in 1983. AP Photo/Ed Reinke – By John W. Diamond, Director of the Center for Public Finance at the Baker Institute, …
HIV enters the brain and doesn’t leave – paradoxically, drugs intended to reduce brain inflammation increase virus levels
HIV hides in reservoirs in the brain, causing persistent inflammation and long-term damage. Design Cells/iStock via Getty Images Plus – By Smita S. Iyer, Associate Professor of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Published: 2026 Jun 08 – HIV can damage the brain and cause …
Dr. ChatGPT is getting remarkably good at diagnosing health problems ‑ but actual doctors are still better at weighing treatment options
The mental shortcuts doctors use in diagnosis aren’t that different from how chatbots come up with answers to your health questions. Philip Dulian/picture alliance via Getty Images – By Andrew Parsons, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Virginia Published: 2026 Jun 01 – …
America’s founding promise of religious freedom has long coexisted with prejudice, even as many Christians have worked to confront it
Student artwork on display at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh on 2019 Oct 27, marks the one-year anniversary of the attack. AP Photo/Keith Srakocic – By David Mislin, Assistant Professor of Intellectual Heritage, Temple University Published: 2026 Apr 27 – As the …
How businesses with ties to Jeffrey Epstein saw norms – and even share prices – suffer
Beyond the well-known names, Jeffrey Epstein’s network of contacts had infiltrated the boardrooms of hundreds of major U.S. companies, with clear consequences for corporate conduct. Martin BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images – By Michaela Pagel, Associate Professor of Finance, Washington University in St. Louis …
We analyzed paper money printed by Ben Franklin to uncover his anti‑counterfeiting techniques and materials innovations
Ben Franklin played a key role in America’s founding, which included helping to design its paper currency. Kristina Davis – By Khachatur Manukyan, Associate Research Professor of Physics & Astronomy, University of Notre Dame Published: 2026 Jun 04 – Benjamin Franklin understood something …
How out‑of‑work fishermen saved the American Revolution
Ships like these played a vital role in the American Revolution. wynnter/iStock via Getty Images Plus – By Christopher Magra, Professor of American History, University of Tennessee Published: 2026 Jun 02, Updated: 2026 Jun 03 – George Washington knew his forces could not …
Breakthrough drug nearly doubles survival with advanced pancreatic cancer – an oncologist explains how daraxonrasib overcame an ‘undruggable’ disease
Pancreatic cancer has been notoriously difficult to treat. Steve Gschmeissner/Science Photo Library via Getty Images – By Christopher Lieu, Professor of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Published: 2026 Jun 02 – For a long time, the likelihood of surviving pancreatic cancer has …
What happens to debt when someone dies?
The fate of a person’s debts after they die depends in part on what they owned. MicroStockHub/iStock via Getty Images Plus – By James Malm, Associate Professor of Finance and Director of the Global Business Resource Center, College of Charleston Published: 2026 Jun 01 …
The American Revolution’s triumphant story of democracy and freedom overlooks loyalists who paid a steep price for allegiance to Britain
The announcement of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia. Hulton Archive via Getty Images – By Kimberly Nath, Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities, San Juan College, Farmington, NM Published: 2026 May 07 – On the eve …
Far removed from today’s global juggernaut, soccer was born in the well‑heeled boarding schools of 19th‑century England
Members of a soccer team at Harrow, an English boarding school, in an undated photo. Hulton Archive/Getty Images – By Thomas Adam, Professor of Political Science, University of Arkansas Published: 2026 May 29 – Over the past two centuries, soccer – or football, …
PFAS leave fingerprints in your blood – researchers are figuring out how forever chemicals transform in your body to read these clues
Figuring out which PFAS types are accumulating in your body is challenging. Love Employee/iStock via Getty Images Plus – By Carrie McDonough, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University Published: 2026 May 29 – Virtually every living thing on Earth, from Patagonian penguins to …
Should you get a second medical opinion? A surgeon explains why doing so can make you a more confident patient
Getting a second opinion has become routine in medicine – and it often boosts patients’ confidence in their care. Jacob Wackerhausen/iStock via Getty Images Plus – By Danielle Friedman, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Quinnipiac University Published: 2026 May 28 – Imagine you have …
Shutting down federal bee labs threatens bees, beekeepers and the US food system
Bees are crucial pollinators for many crops, as well as producers of honey. Allagash Brewing/Flickr Creative Commons – By Jennie L. Durant, Research Affiliate in Human Ecology, University of California, Davis Published: 2026 May 26 – America’s bees and beekeepers are losing a …
Beyond Disney: A 1616 portrait of Pocahontas shows how English colonizers saw Indigenous Americans
Simon van de Passe’s 1616 engraving of Pocahontas is the only known portrait made during her lifetime. National Portrait Gallery/Wikimedia Commons – By Peter C. Mancall, Distinguished Professor and Andrew W. Mellon Professor of the Humanities, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and …
Earth’s outer core reversed direction in 2010 and scientists may finally know why
Dynamics within the planet generate its protective magnetic field. ESA/AOES Medialab – By Mike McRae 2026 May 25 – Deep beneath the Pacific near the equator, Earth’s outer core now flows east instead of west. Dynamics deeper within our planet’s core may help explain …
Who shops at farmers markets in the US?
Customers browse the fresh produce at a Wilkes-Barre, Pa., farmers market in June 2025. Jason Ardan/The Citizens’ Voice via Getty Images – By Bret R. Shaw, Professor of Life Sciences Communication, University of Wisconsin-Madison Published: 2026 May 14 – People who shop at the …
Rice feeds billions of people – but its role in fueling climate change is growing
Rice paddies are essential to lives and livelihoods in many parts of Asia. Jingting Zhang – By Hanqin Tian, Director and Institute Professor, Center for Earth System Science and Global Sustainability, Boston College And by Jingting Zhang, Research Scientist at the Center for …
How does your body lose weight? An obesity doctor explains why one size doesn’t fit all in weight loss
Each person’s body has a different sweet spot for weight that it tries to maintain. By Kim Pfotenhauer, Assistant Dean for Clerkship Education and Assistant Professor of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University Published: 2026 May 22 – For decades, people have been told that …
Long COVID will cost the US an estimated $8 billion over just 3 years due to healthcare burden, managing symptoms and loss to the workforce
Losses in workplace productivity account for more than 90% of the estimate. aire images/Moment via Getty Images – By Bruce Y. Lee, Professor of Health Policy and Management, City University of New York And by Hannah Dimmick, Postdoctoral Researcher in Public Health, CUNY Graduate …
EPA is sidelining its independent chemical referee – and that endangers public health
Chemicals can have a wide range of effects on the human body. Nata Serenko/Moment via Getty Images – By H. Christopher Frey, Professor of Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University Published: 2026 May 20 – For decades, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has …
How a shifting Nile landscape shaped the rise of the ancient empire of Kush in Sudan
Jebel Barkal mesa and the archaeological site at its base in the Nile Valley. Sami Elamin – By Geoff Emberling, Research Scientist in Archaeology, University of Michigan Published: 2026 May 19 – When I first became co-director of an archaeological project at Jebel …
How tarot readers are using AI – and what it says about our growing reliance on chatbots for emotional support and advice
Tarot readings can encourage self-reflection. But what happens when you turn to AI to interpret the cards? Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Sally Hansen – By Ziv Epstein, Postdoctoral Associate, Schwarzman College of Computing, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) And by Farnaz Jahanbakhsh, …
Syphilis cases in expectant mothers have dramatically risen since the pandemic – here’s what’s driving the trend
A pregnant mother with untreated syphilis can pass it to the unborn fetus. Halfpoint Images/Moment via Getty Images – By Casey Pinto, Associate Professor of Public Health Sciences, Penn State Published: 2026 May 01 – Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by …
Why the baby brain can learn two languages at the same time
How do babies learn language? Irene Zaccari, CC BY-NC-ND – By Naja Ferjan Ramírez, Research Scientist, University of Washington Published: 2016 Apr 15 – Any adult who has attempted to learn a foreign language can attest to how difficult and confusing it can be. …
Falling space debris poses an escalating risk as spacecraft get stronger and more heat resistant
Not all space debris burns up in the atmosphere before it makes it back to Earth. PaulFleet/iStock via Getty Images – By Matthew Ray, Professor of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Stout And by Reese Hufnagel, Research Assistant, Department of Chemistry and Physics, University of Wisconsin-Stout Published: …
The oldest evidence of mourning rituals reveals Paleolithic communities grieved like we do
The remains of ‘The Prince’ of Arene Candide in the archeological museum of Pegli, Italy. Our ability to use symbolic materials in order to tackle complex emotions, like processing loss, stretches back at least 27,500 years. (Public domain via Wikimedia Commons) – By Layla …
Bright evening light tied to macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts
Bright lights in the evening could put you at greater risk of eye disease. Dominika Gregušová/Pexels/Canva – By Bronwyn Thompson 2026 Jun 22 – In a massive study of more than 80,000 adults, scientists have found a link between bright artificial light in the …
Trump proposes putting political goals above objective criteria in deciding who gets government grants, from childcare to research to public safety
Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought’s agency is behind this drive to shake up federal grantmaking. Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images – By Mirae Kim, Associate Professor of Nonprofit Studies, George Mason University Published: 2026 Jun 15 – The federal government provides grants …
‘Smart’ running safety vest packs radar, GPS and emergency alert system
The RunSafePro vest is presently on Kickstarter. RunSafePro View 6 Images – By Maryna Holovnova 2026 Jun 18 – Running is often promoted as one of the simplest sports to pick up – put on a pair of running shoes and head out. In …
Spider eyes inspire ultra-efficient depth-sensing camera
The SpiderCam is inspired by the two primary eyes of the jumping spider. Depositphotos – By Shirl Leigh 2026 Jun 19 – A new 3D camera inspired by jumping spiders’ eyes may well be found in the next generation of battery-operated wearable tech, assistive …
Juneteenth reminds us of Black Americans’ long struggle for education following end of slavery
Students and teachers pose outside a National Freedmen’s Bureau school in Beaufort, S.C., in 1865. Corbis/Getty Images – By Rodney Coates, Professor of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, Miami University Published: 2026 Jun 16 – The abolitionist and writer Frederick Douglass is known for …
Bonfires, Maypoles and a saint’s day: How Europe celebrates the longest day of the year
People wear traditional clothes as they celebrate St. John’s Day and the Summer Solstice in Kernave, Lithuania, on 2024 Jun 23. AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis – By Thomas A. DuBois, Professor of Scandinavian Studies, Folklore, and Religious Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison Published: 2026 Jun 17 …
How Wall Street is shifting electric utilities toward consolidation and profit
What’s driving electric utility companies to merge? jayk7/Moment via Getty Images – By Conor Harrison, Associate Professor of Economic Geography, University of South Carolina Published: 2026 Jun 16 – A corporate merger that would form the largest electric utility in the United States is …
Paving paradise: Dismantling the US Roadless Rule threatens to disrupt wildlife, water and peace in the last quiet places in America
A sign on a dirt hiking trail in the Tongass National Forest in southeast Alaska points to naturalist John Muir’s cabin. Wanderluster/iStock/Getty Images – By Mariah Meek, Associate Professor of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University And by Travis Belote, Assistant Professor of Landscape Ecology, …
El Niño is back, and ocean temperatures are already near record highs – that can spell disaster for fish and corals
As ocean temperatures rise during El Niño, fish can find themselves in hot water. Geoff Trodd/Unsplash – By Dillon Amaya, Climate Research Scientist, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Published: 2026 Jun 12 – It’s official: El Niño is back. By late fall 2026, forecast …