Uncovering how cells allocate space to make way for new growth
Picture a living cell as if it were a city. If you were the urban planner for this (very little, very alive) city, one of the things you would have to decide is how to allocate space for different functional uses. ⌘ Read more

Even bumble bee queens need personal days: Study reveals surprising breaks in egg-laying cycle
Some queens don’t rule nonstop. A new study from the University of California, Riverside shows that even bumble bee queens, the sole founders of their colonies, take regular breaks from reproduction—likely to avoid burning out before their first workers arrive. ⌘ Read more

Hundreds evacuated as Guatemalan volcano erupts
Guatemalan authorities said Thursday they were evacuating more than 500 people after Central America’s most active volcano spewed gas and ash. ⌘ Read more

The promise and peril of a crewed Mars mission
A crewed mission to Mars would rank among the most complex and costly undertakings in human history—and US President Donald Trump has vowed to make it a national priority. ⌘ Read more

Renowned Mars expert says Trump-Musk axis risks dooming mission
Robert Zubrin quite literally wrote the book on why humanity should go to Mars—so why has the renowned aerospace engineer soured on Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur leading the charge? ⌘ Read more

Medieval murder: Records suggest vengeful noblewoman had priest assassinated in 688-year-old cold case
A Cambridge criminologist has uncovered new evidence in the killing of a priest, John Forde, who had his throat cut on a busy London street almost seven centuries ago. ⌘ Read more

Study finds high microplastic levels in protected Mediterranean coral habitats
The bay of Illa Grossa, located on a remote island in the Columbretes Islands marine reserve off the coast of Spain, is home to the only reef-forming stony coral species in the Mediterranean: Cladocora caespitosa. Despite its isolated location, approximately 55 kilometers from the mainland and being free from local sources of pollution, a new international study led by Kiel University reveals that this strict … ⌘ Read more

Climate change linked to rising antibiotic resistance in soil bacteria
A multinational research team, including Professor David W Graham from Durham University’s Biosciences Department, have helped uncover a worrying new effect of climate change—the rise of antibiotic resistance in soil bacteria. ⌘ Read more

IXPE obtains first X-ray polarization measurement of magnetar outburst
What happens when the universe’s most magnetic object shines with the power of 1000 suns in a matter of seconds? Thanks to NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X‑ray Polarimetry Explorer), a mission in collaboration with ASI (Italian Space Agency), scientists are one step closer to understanding this extreme event. ⌘ Read more

Do people really resemble their dogs?
Many dog owners wonder whether they share similarities with their dogs, including characteristics like a calm temperament, a sociable personality or even a bit of stubbornness. The idea that people and dogs resemble each other is not just a joke. In fact, some researchers have explored this question. ⌘ Read more

The quantum physics of forgetting information
In a study by TU Wien and FU Berlin, researchers have measured what happens when quantum physical information is lost. This clarifies important connections between thermodynamics, information theory and quantum physics. ⌘ Read more

More people leave homes in Canada as huge wildfires spread
More than 31,000 people were under evacuation across Canada on Wednesday as firefighters battled raging wildfires threatening towns and villages, authorities said. ⌘ Read more

Fungal resistance in wheat: Preserving biodiversity for food security
Wheat production is threatened by a major fungal disease: yellow rust. Researchers at the University of Zurich have found traditional wheat varieties from Asia that harbor several resistance-conferring genes. They may serve as a durable source of yellow rust resistance in commercial varieties in the future, highlighting the importance of genetic diversity for food security. ⌘ Read more

Female earwigs may also use their forceps as weapons in battles for mates
A new study from Toho University reveals that female earwigs exhibit a similar pattern of exaggerated forceps growth as males, suggesting that both sexes may have evolved these traits through sexual selection. ⌘ Read more

AI-based method uses geostationary satellite data for hourly monitoring of carbon absorption
Approximately 30% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are removed by terrestrial vegetation through photosynthesis. Researchers affiliated with UNIST have unveiled an innovative artificial intelligence (AI) analysis technique that predicts this CO2 uptake with high temporal resolution. This advancement is expected to significantly aid climate change mitigation efforts and the formulation of carbon … ⌘ Read more

Study details processes that keep pollutants aloft despite a drop in emissions
Nitrates in the atmosphere reduce air quality and play an important role in climate change. An international team led by Hokkaido University researchers has revealed how chemical processes in the atmosphere have led to persistently high nitrate levels despite a reduction in emissions over the past few decades. ⌘ Read more

Thicker sediments under Salt Lake could result in more intense ground shaking
The sediments underlying the Salt Lake Valley are thicker in places than previously thought, indicating that current seismic hazard models likely underestimate the amount of shaking Utah’s population center could experience in future earthquakes, according to new research led by University of Utah seismologists. ⌘ Read more

How useful are states’ adolescent social media laws?
Bills related to adolescent social media regulation have been adopted in more than half of all U.S. states. Research in The Milbank Quarterly finds that these state policies—such as school cell phone bans and anti-cyberbullying laws—have significant limitations. The study identifies research priorities that will help inform more effective interventions. ⌘ Read more

Workplace equality laws spark surprising gains for women in the boardroom, research finds
Amid global rollbacks of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives—from the United States to parts of Europe—a new study has found that US state-level protections for LGBTQIA+ employees are not only helping to curb workplace discrimination, but are also driving greater gender diversity in corporate boardrooms. ⌘ Read more

Squid study sparks interdisciplinary insight into the physics of growth
Often, physics can be used to make sense of the natural world, whether it’s understanding gravitational effects on ocean tides or using powerful physics tools, like microscopes, to examine the inner workings of the cell. But increasingly, scientists are looking at biological systems to spark new insights in physics. By studying squid skin, researchers have identified the first biological instance of a physical pheno … ⌘ Read more

Online game proven to reduce partisan animosity
Algorithmically-driven social media has split red and blue America into separate information environments. But a new online tool, developed at Harvard, can bring citizens back together. ⌘ Read more

Two plant species ‘invent’ the same chemically complex and medically interesting substance
Plants produce an enormous abundance of natural products. Many natural plant products are ancestry-specific and occur only in certain plant families, sometimes only in a single species. Interestingly, however, the same substances can sometimes be found in distantly related species. ⌘ Read more

Unveiling under-the-barrier electron dynamics in strong field tunneling
Tunneling is a peculiar quantum phenomenon with no classical counterpart. It plays an essential role for strong field phenomena in atoms and molecules interacting with intense lasers. Processes such as high-order harmonic generation are driven by electron dynamics following tunnel ionization. ⌘ Read more

The world’s natural history collections are ready to aid in pandemic preparedness
Across the world, natural history museums hold about 3 billion specimens of plants and animals in collections—and these collections may also contain information needed to prevent, prepare for, and respond to potential future pandemics. ⌘ Read more

Algae can clean sewage without electricity or chemicals; we put it to the test in South Africa
Across Africa, many rural communities face a growing sanitation crisis. Wastewater treatment systems, where they exist, are often old, overloaded, or broken. In some towns, untreated sewage flows directly into rivers, contaminating water sources and harming both ecosystems and public health. ⌘ Read more

Fish with legs and sea slug thieves: Researcher reveals lessons from unusual organisms
During a tour of the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, Corey Allard noticed something strange: fish using six leg-like appendages to “walk” around the bottom of their tank. ⌘ Read more

Experimenting with generative AI to kibbitz and futz towards more inclusive futures
What does it mean to think, act and work as a Jewish professor when human freedoms are under siege and authoritarian power gains ground? And how can we draw on our Jewish identities to navigate the sweeping encroachment of new technologies like AI? ⌘ Read more

Massive plume of ash, gas spews from Italy’s Mount Etna
A huge plume of ash, gas and rock spewed forth Monday from Italy’s Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano, but authorities said there was no current danger to the population. ⌘ Read more

Rewiring corporate accounting in Vietnam
Enterprise resource planning systems could transform management accounting for publicly listed firms, according to research published in the International Journal of Economics and Business Research. The focus of the work is on Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and offers both practical insights for business leaders and a broader perspective on digital transformation that could apply to other emerging markets. ⌘ Read more

PFAS could be replaced with safe graphene oxide solution
Northwestern University researchers have developed a new water- and oil-resistant material that could become a safe, viable replacement for harmful plastics and toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food packaging. ⌘ Read more

Trump wants $1 billion for private-sector-led Mars exploration
U.S. President Donald Trump wants to tap the private sector to pave the way for human missions to Mars in a proposal that closely aligns with the goals of Elon Musk. ⌘ Read more

In a hotter future, what comes after coral reefs die?
The fate of coral reefs has been written with a degree of certainty rare in climate science: at 1.5 degrees Celsius of global warming, most are expected to die. ⌘ Read more

Oceans feel the heat from human climate pollution
Oceans have absorbed the vast majority of the warming caused by burning fossil fuels and shielded societies from the full impact of greenhouse gas emissions. ⌘ Read more

Earth’s seasonal rhythms are changing, putting species and ecosystems at risk
Seasonality shapes much of life on Earth. Most species, including humans, have synchronized their own rhythms with those of the Earth’s seasons. ⌘ Read more

Many police forces have found ICE agreements undermine public safety
During his first few months in office, President Donald Trump has been establishing a framework for deporting undocumented immigrants en masse. It’s something he has previously vowed will be “the largest deportation operation in the history of our country.” ⌘ Read more

Most of Australia’s conservation efforts ignore climate risks—here are 3 fixes
Imagine replanting various native species only to have them die because the area is too hot or too dry. Or reconnecting woodland habitat only to lose large tracts to bushfire. ⌘ Read more

Sudden hailstorm lashes Egypt’s Alexandria
An unseasonal rainstorm battered the Egyptian city of Alexandria on Saturday, flooding roads and damaging seafront businesses in the latest bout of erratic weather to hit the region. ⌘ Read more

Trump says withdrawing Musk ally as nominee to head NASA
US President Donald Trump said Saturday he was withdrawing his nomination of tech billionaire Jared Isaacman, a close ally of Elon Musk, to lead space agency NASA. ⌘ Read more

Vienna calling: Strauss’s ‘Blue Danube’ waltzes into outer space
Austrian composer Johann Strauss II’s “The Blue Danube” has, for many people, been synonymous with space travel since it was used in Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 sci‑fi classic “2001: A Space Odyssey”. ⌘ Read more

Elon Musk promises more risky launches after sixth Starship failure
What goes up must come down, and earlier this week yet another of SpaceX’s Starships, the biggest and most powerful type of rocket ever built, came back down to Earth in spectacular fashion. In the sky above the Indian Ocean, it exploded. ⌘ Read more

A new type of X-point radiator that prevents tokamaks from overheating
Nuclear fusion reactors are highly powerful technologies that can generate energy by fusing (i.e., joining) two light atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus. These fusion reactions release large amounts of energy, which can then be converted into electrical power without emitting greenhouse gases. ⌘ Read more

Researchers created a chatbot to help teach a university law class—but the AI kept messing up
“AI tutors” have been hyped as a way to revolutionize education. ⌘ Read more

Analytical model clarifies exciton dynamics to improve OLED efficiency and lifespan
Organic light emitting diodes, or OLEDs, are a type of photoluminescence device that utilizes organic compounds to produce light. Compared to traditional LEDs, OLEDs have shown to be more efficient, can be built into super-thin and flexible materials, and have higher dynamic range in image quality. To further develop better OLEDs, researchers around the world work to understand the fundamental chemistry and … ⌘ Read more

MXene offers exceptional high-frequency EMI shielding
A research team has reported the successful synthesis of high-purity, tunable nitrogen (N)-substituted MAX precursors and the resultant MXene two-dimensional (2D) materials—a first in the world. ⌘ Read more

A cheap and easy potential solution for lowering carbon emissions in maritime shipping
Adopting new digital systems to help oceangoing container ships get in line to offload their cargo at busy ports appears to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 16–24%, according to researchers at UC Santa Barbara. Not only would this relatively simple intervention reduce emissions, but the technology to implement these measures already exists and is cheap. ⌘ Read more

Case study of flamenco fusion band suggests music can help combat ageism
What started as free tickets to see a flamenco fusion band in Spain turned into an unexpected research opportunity for a team of researchers at Penn State, who discovered a unique example of the power of music to bridge generational divides. ⌘ Read more

Amphibian road mortality drops by over 80% with wildlife underpasses, study shows
Frogs, salamanders, and other amphibians around the world face mounting threats from a devastating fungus, climate change, habitat loss—and road mortality. Among these, roads pose a uniquely immediate danger by cutting through critical migration corridors, allowing vehicles to crush millions of animals each year. ⌘ Read more

Some bosses benefit from belittling employees
Supervisors yell to boost employee performance, reinforce status as “the boss.” They don’t feel bad about it. ⌘ Read more

Researchers help college students understand why mathematics classes matter
West Virginia University researchers are changing how college mathematics is taught by evaluating and sharing a model for problem-solving that supports what students learn in other courses like business or biology. ⌘ Read more

Sharks rarely seen together peacefully co-feed: Observation could help scientists understand shark ecology better
Many sharks, particularly those that live in the open oceans, are hunters rather than scavengers. Despite this, a small portion of their diet comes from scavenging, a behavior they may engage in when the opportunity arises. ⌘ Read more