Earth & Environment
How air pollution may raise depression risk in older people
Air pollution is often talked about as a threat to our lungs and hearts, but scientists are now finding that it can also affect...
How a 4,000-year-old sheep solved a long-standing plague mystery
The Black Death is one of the most infamous pandemics in human history, killing roughly a third of Europe’s population during the Middle Ages.
That...
Tattoos, toxins and the immune system – what you need to know before you...
From minimalist wrist designs to full sleeves, body art has become so common that it barely raises an eyebrow.
But while the personal meaning of...
When humans disappeared, these birds evolved different beaks
When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the UCLA campus, students weren’t the only ones affected.
A small brown bird called the dark-eyed junco also felt...
When disasters strike, home batteries could be a lifeline
Extreme weather is placing greater strain on Australia's power grids.
In 2022, the record-breaking Northern Rivers floods blacked out almost 70,000 households.
A powerful storm in...
Biodegradable electronics may create microplastics, scientists warn
Electronics designed to disappear after use sound like a perfect solution to the world’s growing e-waste problem.
Known as transient or biodegradable electronics, these devices...
Your laundry is polluting the ocean—Scientists say this new filter can help
Every time we wash our clothes, tiny plastic fibers are released into the water.
These fibers come mainly from synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon...
Engineers find a way to watch desalination membranes clog in real time
As freshwater shortages worsen around the world, desalination—turning seawater into drinkable water—is becoming increasingly important.
But the technology that powers most desalination plants has a...
Scientists discover the youngest armored dinosaur ever found
For more than two decades, a small dinosaur from China has left scientists scratching their heads.
Known as Liaoningosaurus paradoxus, this strange fossil looked like...
Hot, humid weather may increase risk of kidney failure
People living in Australia's hot and humid northern regions are more likely to suffer from kidney failure than those living in cooler and less...
This brainless animal folds itself like origami, study finds
How does a living thing fold itself into complex shapes without a brain, nerves, or muscles?
A new study of one of Earth’s simplest animals...
Scientists discover 125,000-year-old elephant tracks in southeastern Spain
For the first time, scientists have uncovered fossilized footprints of large land animals preserved in ancient coastal sand dunes in the Spanish region of...
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The world’s largest ice is melting 10 times faster
In a new study, scientists have found that the world's largest ice shelf, Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf, is fasting very rapidly.
They found that the...
Plants could soon talk back: Scientists discover how plants signal stress through pressure
Imagine if a plant could warn a farmer that it needs water — or if a farmer could send a message to the plants...
Scientists uncover ancient dinosaur highway in Britain
A remarkable new discovery has uncovered hundreds of dinosaur footprints in an ancient "dinosaur highway" in Oxfordshire, dating back 166 million years to the...
What’s quieter than a fish? A school of them
Swimming in schools makes fish surprisingly stealthy underwater, with a group able to sound like a single fish.
The new findings by Johns Hopkins University...
Los Angeles palm trees may be a major source of air pollution
Mexican fan palms, native to the deserts of northwestern Mexico, are a widely-planted ornamental throughout the Los Angeles basin.
They are contributing substantially to the...
How ancient fish developed their protective scales and shaped evolution
Around 350 million years ago, the ocean was full of soft-bodied animals, including some that would eventually evolve into humans and all modern vertebrates.
These...
Why are food prices still so high? What is price gouging—and why is it...
Vice President Kamala Harris' proposal to ban price gouging by grocers and food companies seemed to do more than just stir up the usual...
Study reveals animals coexist with humans by mastering risk assessment
This fascinating study delves into the adaptability and survival strategies of great-tailed grackles in urban environments, shedding light on how animals can thrive amidst...