Physicists use electric fields to control DNA in real time
A team of physicists at McGill University has developed a new device that allows them to trap, release, and manipulate DNA molecules without ever...
Scientists use molecular film to tame noisy quantum light
Quantum technologies are often described as the future of computing and communication, but their success depends on achieving an extraordinary level of precision.
At the...
Sea sponges may have been Earth’s first animals, new study shows
What were the first animals to appear on Earth? New research points to a surprising candidate: sea sponges.
A team of geochemists from MIT and...
Would cockroaches really survive a nuclear apocalypse?
Popular culture loves to joke that cockroaches would be the last survivors on Earth if humanity ever faced a nuclear apocalypse.
The 2008 Pixar film...
What noise does a fish make? New tool reveals the answer
For decades, ecologists have listened to the underwater world using sound recorders.
These devices capture rich soundscapes filled with cracks, snaps, and thumps, most of...
Super-absorbent biodegradable hydrogel could revolutionize farming in dry climates
A new eco-friendly material developed by Italian researchers could help plants grow in extreme drought conditions while reducing agriculture’s environmental footprint.
The invention, a fully...
Amazon trees are growing bigger as CO₂ levels rise
The trees of the Amazon rainforest are getting larger, and scientists believe rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are the reason why.
A new...
Scientists find way to grow more nutritious rice with less fertilizer
Rice is the daily staple for more than 3.5 billion people around the world, but producing it comes with huge costs to the environment,...
Tea plants thrive in Moon soil, but fail on Mars
The idea of astronauts enjoying a cup of tea on the Moon may not be so far-fetched after all.
A team of researchers from the...
Why planets like k2-18b may be too dry for alien life
For years, astronomers have been excited about the idea that some planets beyond our solar system might be covered by vast, global oceans.
One such...