- + Twisting Words Crossword—Solve our latest interactive crossword. We'll publish science-themed crosswords and math puzzles on alternating months. [Category: Uncategorized] [Li...
- + American burying beetles are making a comeback in Nebraska—Thanks to decades of conservation to restore private grasslands, numbers of the threatened insect are on the rise in the Loess Canyons. [Category: Ani...
- + The spread of breast cancer may be inherited—A variant of PCSK9 , a gene involved in raising cholesterol, may spur metastasis. An approved antibody might stop it. [Category: Health & Medicin...
- + Scientists predict an undersea volcano eruption near Oregon in 2025—Real-time data from Axial Seamount off the Oregon coast is providing researchers with a good eruption forecasting test. [Category: Earth] [Link to med...
- + Short bursts of physical activity cut women’s risk of heart attack—Even just a few minutes of vigorous movement per day lowers the risk of serious cardiovascular problems, like heart attack and heart failure, in women...
- + Fiber friction is the key to cozy knits—Friction between loops of yarn give knit fabrics the ability to take on a variety of shapes even when no force is applied. [Category: Physics] [Link t...
- + Dogs team up with AI to sniff out cancer—Scientists paired Labrador retrievers with an AI model in a new screening test for breast, lung, colorectal or prostate cancer. [Category: Health &...
- + Scientists are building underwater neutrino telescopes in the Mediterranean—The KM3NeT telescopes, currently under construction, will catch high-energy neutrinos that could reveal secrets of the cosmos. [Category: Particle Phy...
- + Eyelashes’ special features help fling water from the eyes—Eyelashes “micro-ratchet” structure and curved shape help wick water away from the eyes. [Category: Physics] [Link to media]
- + These are the 5 most popular Science News stories of 2024—Science News drew millions of visitors to our website this year. Here’s a recap of the most-read and most-watched news stories of 2024. [Category: Sci...
- + 50 years ago, astronomers saw the surface of a distant star for the first time—In the 1970s, technological advances let scientists peer through stars’ atmospheres. Now, scientists can measure roiling gas in the stars themselves. ...
- + Telehealth helps people get health care, but access may soon be in limbo—COVID-era telehealth laws made health care more accessible for rural patients, but telehealth might not be as easy to access next year. [Category: Hea...
- + Stage 0 breast cancer patients may not need to rush to surgery—Women with Stage 0 breast cancer who got biannual mammograms and delayed surgery for two years fared as well as those who got immediate surgery. [Cate...
- + These scientific feats set new records in 2024—Noteworthy findings include jumbo black hole jets, an ultrapetite frog, ancient asteroid remnants and more. [Category: Life] [Link to media]
- + Looking back on the year in science and what’s next—Each year we dedicate the final issue of Science News to reviewing the big stories in science, technology and medicine. And each year, I marvel at the...
- + Deaths related to the cold have grown since 1999 in the U.S.—From 1999 to 2022, the rate of cold-related deaths rose from about 4 per 1 million people to 9 per 1 million in the United States. [Category: Health &...
- + AI sniffs out whiskey flavor notes as well as the pros—A machine learning algorithm identified the top five flavor notes in 16 types of whiskey. Each matched the aggregate of what a panel of human pros sai...
- + A new microbead proves effective as a plastic-free skin scrubber—The nonplastic polymer cleaned up eyeliner and permanent marker and broke down into molecules related to sugar and amino acids. [Category: Chemistry] ...
- + What will space exploration look like under Trump?—A lot is unknown, but the roles of billionaires like Elon Musk and Jared Isaacman suggests a focus on human and private spaceflight. [Category: Space]...
- + Here’s how public health fared in 2024—Viral outbreaks, extreme heat and access to clean water are among the year’s big public health headlines. [Category: Health & Medicine] [Link to m...
- + Scotch tape is key to creating thin films of diamond —The sticky stuff helped peel sheets of diamond less than a micrometer thick off silicon wafers, creating membranes useful for electronic devices. [Cat...
- + These are our favorite animal stories of 2024—Pigeons that do somersaults, snakes that fake death with extra flair and surprised canines are among the organisms that enthralled the Science News st...
- + Archaeology’s top discoveries of 2024 include preserved brains and a lost city—From the plight of ancient Egyptian scribes to the identities of ancient Maya sacrifices, 2024 brought a rich medley of insights into human history. [...
- + Sheep earwax can record a dangerous diet—Sheep that eat death camas plants record the toxic meal in their earwax, a goopy health data repository that researchers are increasingly exploring. [...
- + Here are 8 remarkable scientific firsts of 2024—Making panda stem cells, mapping a fruit fly’s brain and witnessing a black hole wake up were among the biggest achievements of the year. [Category: L...
- + The message-sending part of neurons may be blobby, not smooth—Axons can be shaped like strings of pearls, research in mice and people show. How that shape may influence brain signaling is not yet clear. [Category...
- + Britain’s largest ancient massacre may have included cannibalism—Bones recovered from a natural shaft unveil a 4,000-year-old massacre of men, women and children, possibly part of a cycle of revenge killings. [Categ...
- + These discoveries in 2024 could be groundbreaking — if they’re true—Did microbes ever live on Mars? Did an "elevator" help build Egypt’s first pyramid? Some signs pointed to yes this year, but confirmation is still nee...
- + Cancer screening and quitting smoking have saved nearly 6 million lives—Prevention, screening and treatment advances combined stopped 5.94 million deaths from cancer in the United States from 1975 through 2020. [Category: ...
- + Humans have linked emotions to the same body parts for 3,000 years—3,000-year-old clay tablets show that some associations between emotion and parts of the body have remained the same for millennia. [Category: Anthrop...
- + The 2024 eclipse gave a rare view of the sun. Here’s a peek at early data—Teams are starting to analyze data from the total solar eclipse to learn more about the sun’s corona, gravity waves and changes in Earth’s ionosphere....
- + NASA’s Perseverance rover found a new potential setting for Martian life—Now atop Jezero Crater, the robotic explorer found quartz indicative of habitable environments and possibly the oldest rocks yet seen in the solar sys...
- + The ‘Blob,’ an unprecedented marine heat wave, killed 4 million seabirds—Millions of other animals may have perished too, suggesting the die-off event might be one of the worst in modern times. [Category: Life] [Link to med...
- + Neandertal genes in people today came from hook-ups around 47,000 years ago—Most present-day humans carry a small amount of Neandertal DNA that can be traced back to a single period of interbreeding, two genetic analyses find....
- + These are the viruses that defined 2024—Here’s the latest on mpox, bird flu, dengue and other viral outbreaks that flared up this year. [Category: Health & Medicine] [Link to media]
- + Earth’s inner core may be changing shape—Earthquake data suggest that all or small patches of the inner core's surface may be swelling and contracting. [Category: Earth] [Link to media]
- + The 2004 tsunami killed hundreds of thousands. Are we better prepared now?—Twenty years after the deadliest wave in recorded history, most oceans have warning systems and communities have learned how best to escape the danger...
- + The benefits of Ozempic and its kin may extend far beyond weight loss—Studies suggest that semaglutide reduces heart attack and stroke and may curb addiction and more. Scientists reflect on the future of GLP-1 drugs beyo...
- + U.S. hospitals continue to shut down labor and delivery services—More than half of rural hospitals and more than one-third of urban hospitals did not offer labor and delivery services in 2022. [Category: Health &...
- + The screams of thirsty plants may prompt some moths to lay eggs elsewhere—Female moths may pick up on the ultrasonic wailing of distressed plants and opt to lay their eggs on different, healthier plants. [Category: Animals] ...
- + Some countries have eliminated malaria, but cases are growing elsewhere—Egypt was added to the list of malaria-free places in 2024, but climate change, conflict and other threats could increase cases especially in Africa. ...
- + The best science books of 2024—Books about killer asteroids, human consciousness, nuclear weapons and the collapse of the Late Bronze Age were among our top reads this year. [Catego...
- + During an allergic response, some immune cells digest others—Mast cells lure and trap other immune cells during allergic reactions, using their compounds to increase inflammation in a process dubbed nexocytosis ...
- + The oldest known ritual chamber in the Middle East has been found—Engravings and other evidence suggest ancient humans attended religious ceremonies in the cave as early as 37,000 years ago. [Category: Archaeology] [...
- + Generative AI is an energy hog. Is the tech worth the environmental cost?—Generative AI and the hype around it has rung in excitement and alarm bells this year. Here’s how to consider climate, energy and AI's intersection. [...
- + A squid-inspired medical device could reduce the need for needles—The device, which directs a liquid by mimicking squids’ high-pressure jets, could provide alternative delivery methods for injectable drugs. [Category...
- + Proposed time limits on anesthesia may have jeopardized patient safety—Blue Cross Blue Shield’s now rescinded plan to put time limits on anesthesia put a spotlight on a poorly understood profession. [Category: Health &...
- + Notre Dame is reopening. What does that mean for its acoustics? —Researcher Brian Katz is studying the acoustics of the Paris cathedral and how it’s been altered throughout the centuries. [Category: Physics] [Link t...
- + Space missions spanned the solar system in 2024—Humankind accomplished new feats in space this year, including scooping up some of the moon’s farside and launching a probe to Jupiter’s moon Europa. ...
- + Astronomers see the astrosphere of a sunlike star for the first time—Finding a bubble of hot gas blown by the stellar wind from a young star gives researchers a peek at what our sun was like when it was young. [Category...
- + Astronomers detect the first astrosphere around a sunlike star—Finding a bubble of hot gas blown by the stellar wind from a young star gives researchers a peek at what our sun was like when it was young. [Category...
- + How the weight loss drug tirzepatide is also helping heart failure patients—Data continue to show that tirzepatide, called Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and Zepbound for weight loss, is safe and effective, but side effects rema...
- + Climate change made 2024 the hottest year on record. The heat was deadly—Heat waves fueled by climate change killed scores of people and upended daily life. Here are some of those stories. [Category: Climate] [Link to media...
- + Meet a scientist tracking cactus poaching in the Atacama Desert—Botanist Pablo Guerrero has been visiting Atacama cacti all his life. They’re not adapting well to a drier climate, booming mining and plant collectio...
- + Climate stress may undermine male spiders’ romantic gift giving—Even spider love lives show an effect of climate uncertainty: Stressed males may offer a bit of silk-wrapped junk rather than a tasty insect treat. [C...
- + A spacecraft duo will fly in formation to create artificial solar eclipses—ESA’s Proba-3 mission will use one satellite to block out the sun for another satellite, bringing the sun’s middle corona into new focus. [Category: S...
- + Dietary evidence bolsters Clovis hunters’ reputation as mammoth killers—Mammoths made up as much as 40 percent of the ancient North Americans’ diet, a chemical analysis of human remains reveals. [Category: Humans] [Link to...
- + Trees are failing to adapt to climate change. Losing fungi partners may be why—Certain fungi give trees nutrients and water, but heat and drought are putting both at risk. [Category: Life] [Link to media]
- + Climate change is driving trees away from crucial fungi—Without a fungal support network, trees can lose their ability to adapt to changing climatic conditions, increasing their extinction risk. [Category: ...
- + New videos reveal the hidden lives of Andean bears—The footage give clues to the range of plants the bears eat and how they mate, information important for conservation. [Category: Ecosystems] [Link to...
- + Here’s how long it would take 100 worms to eat the plastic in one face mask—An experiment reveals that a bio-solution to humans’ microplastics mess is likely to fall short, but could inspire other ways to attack the problem. [...
- + Starchy nanofibers shatter the record for world’s thinnest pasta—The fibers, made from white flour and formic acid, average just 372 nanometers in diameter and might find use in biodegradable bandages. [Category: Ma...
- + Ethiopian wolves are the first large carnivores found to slurp nectar—Wolves from three different packs were seen licking red hot poker flowers. That sweet tooth could make them the first known large predator pollinators...
- + An unexpected ice collapse hints at worrying changes on the Antarctic coast—The Conger Ice Shelf disintegrated in 2022. Satellite data leading up to the collapse hint at worrying changes in a supposedly stable ice sheet. [Cate...
- + Neandertals may have built a hearth specifically to make tar—Findings from a cave in Gibraltar suggests Neandertals may have used complex fire structures to obtain adhesives from plants. [Category: Archaeology] ...
- + Electronic ‘tattoos’ offer an alternative to electrodes for brain monitoring—A standard EEG test requires electrodes that come with pitfalls. A spray-on ink, capable of carrying electrical signals, avoids some of those. [Catego...
- + Giant hornets have been sighted in Europe for the first time—Four southern giant hornets have turned up in Spain. Similar stingers, known for honeybee attacks, had the Pacific Northwest on edge a few years ago. ...
- + Readers ask about glowing bat toes and a rare particle decay—Toe-tally mysterious Hairs on the toes of Mexican free-tailed bats light up under ultraviolet light, but the reason is unknown, Jason Bittel reported ...
- + Re-engineering where body meets machine—Editor in chief Nancy Shute dives into growing research efforts to re-engineer the body to improve how it interacts with prosthetic devices. [Category...
- + 50 years ago, physics underwent a major revolution—The discovery of new subatomic particles cemented quarks as a cornerstone of the standard model of particle physics. [Category: Particle Physics] [Lin...
- + A new biography of Benjamin Franklin puts science at the forefront—Richard Munson’s new book, Ingenious , shows how scientific research inspired the founding father’s diplomacy. [Category: Science & Society] [Lin...
- + Videos capture orcas’ tricks for taking down the largest fish on Earth—Citizen science videos document for the first time how orcas coordinate an attack against whale sharks. [Category: Animals] [Link to media]
- + Footprints offer a rare look at ancient human relatives crossing paths—The imprints put flat-footed and arched-foot walkers together at a prime spot in East Africa. [Category: Anthropology] [Link to media]
- + What will it take to defend the world from an asteroid?—In How to Kill an Asteroid, Robin George Andrews looks at the successes and shortcomings of planetary defense. [Category: Space] [Link to media]
- + Cervical cancer deaths are plummeting among young U.S. women—A new study shows a steep drop in cervical cancer deaths among the first cohort of women who were eligible for the HPV vaccine. [Category: Health &...
- + Sluggish proteins may underpin aging and chronic disease—Sticky, sluggish proteins with “proteolethargy” may be a common denominator underpinning life’s ailments. [Category: Health & Medicine] [Link to m...
- + This ‘hidden figure’ of entomology fought for civil rights—Margaret S. Collins, the first Black American female entomologist to earn a Ph.D., overcame sexism and racism to become a termite expert. [Category: S...
- + Like brain cells, kidney cells can form memories—Scientists found memory’s molecular machinery at work in cells outside the nervous system. [Category: Neuroscience] [Link to media]
- + Like brain cells, kidney cells can ‘remember’—Scientists found memory’s molecular machinery at work in cells outside the nervous system. [Category: Neuroscience] [Link to media]
- + China’s famously rich dinosaur fossil beds get a new origins story—Cave-ins and floods may have buried the Cretaceous creatures of the fossil Jehol Biota rather than volcanic eruptions, a new study claims. [Category: ...
- + From electric cars to wildfires, how Trump may affect climate actions—Trump’s first term, campaign pledges and nominees point to how efforts to address climate change and environmental issues may fare. [Category: Climate...
- + Dengue is classified as an urban disease. Mosquitoes don’t care—Infectious diseases are often labeled “urban” or “rural.” Applying political labels to public health misses who is at risk, experts argue. [Category: ...
- + Refurbished heart pacemakers work like new—“Old” pacemakers may still work for years, so doctors are refurbishing used devices and donating them to patients in low- and middle-income countries....
- + Ancient Central Americans built a massive fish-trapping system—Earthen channels directed fish into ponds that formed seasonally, providing a dietary bounty for Maya civilizations starting around 4,000 years ago. [...
- + Satellite space junk might wreak havoc on the stratosphere—Hundreds of defunct satellites plunge toward Earth every year. Scientists are studying how the chemical stew left in their wake impacts the atmosphere...
- + Scientists identify a long-sought by-product of some drinking water treatments—Chlorine-based water treatments create many by-products, but one has been elusive. Its identification sets the stage for studying its health effects. ...
- + For adult chimps, playing may be more important than previously thought—A multiyear study of dozens of wild, adult chimps suggests that play helps reduce tension and boost cooperation among individuals. [Category: Animals]...
- + This is the first close-up image of a star beyond our galaxy—The first-ever close-up of an extragalactic star looks different than expected and might give a view of what stars look like at the end of their lives...
- + Mars’ potato-shaped moons could be the remains of a shredded asteroid—Phobos and Deimos could have formed from asteroid debris, a new study suggests. An upcoming sample return mission will help test the idea. [Category: ...
- + Here’s why turning to AI to train future AIs may be a bad idea—If future AI models are trained on AI-generated content, they could end up producing more bias and nonsense, researchers caution. [Category: Artificia...
- + Climate change has amped up hurricane wind speeds by 29 kph on average—Every single Atlantic hurricane in 2024 had wind speeds supercharged by warming seas. One even jumped two categories of intensity. [Category: Climate]...
- + Einstein’s gravity endures despite a dark energy puzzle —The DESI project previously reported that dark energy — long thought to be constant — changes over time. A new analysis reaffirms that claim. [Categor...
- + Vaccines, fluoride, raw milk: How RFK Jr.’s views may shape public health—If confirmed as head of the Department of Health and Human Services, Kennedy could influence U.S. policy on vaccines, drugs and food safety. [Category...
- + Nature’s first fiber optics could light the way to internet innovation—Mineral crystals in heart cockles’ shells protect symbiotic algae from ultraviolet rays and could lead to innovations in internet infrastructure. [Cat...
- + Youth tobacco use has gone down, but the work isn’t over—In 2024, tobacco use among middle and high school students reached a record low, but new vapes and other products with nicotine keep coming. [Category...
- + Keeping weight off may be stymied by fat cells’ ‘memory’ of obesity—Some genetic changes in fat cells don’t go away after weight loss, a study in mice and human cells suggests. [Category: Health & Medicine] [Link t...
- + Some people don’t have a mind’s eye. Scientists want to know why—The senses of sight and sound are usually mingled in the brain, but not for people with aphantasia. [Category: Neuroscience] [Link to media]
- + Readers ask about self-correcting quantum computers, oobleck’s experimental value—Readers wondered if mayo qualifies as a non-Newtonian fluid, and X user @Lightning456243 asked how a quantum computer can identify its own errors. [Ca...
- + 50 years on, Lucy still sparks our curiosity—Editor in chief Nancy Shute recounts the 50-year anniversary of the hominid's discovery, which upended the study of human evolution. [Category: Uncate...
- + The world’s largest coral was discovered in the South Pacific—The behemoth coral, discovered in October in the Solomon Islands, is longer than a blue whale and older than the United States. [Category: Oceans] [Li...
- + 50 years ago, U.S. drinking water sparked health and safety concerns—The discovery of potential cancer-causing agents in tap water led to the Safe Drinking Water Act — a law that continues protecting public health. [Cat...
- + A first look at rocks from the lunar farside create a volcanic mystery—Rocks returned by China’s Chang’e-6 mission suggest volcanic activity just 2.8 billion years ago but lack telltale heat-generating elements. [Category...
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