Why scientists want to solve an underground mystery about where microbes live
Though it might seem inanimate, the soil under our feet is very much alive.
It's filled with countless microorganisms actively breaking down organic matter, like...
DNA may have the future of digital memory storage, shows study
The color of a person's eyes, the thickness of a potato's skin, the shape of a flower: What do these seemingly disparate elements have...
How planets form controls elements essential for life
The prospects for life on a given planet depend not only on where it forms but also how, according to Rice University scientists.
Planets like...
Mating with relatives? Not a big deal in nature
We usually assume that inbreeding is bad and should be avoided under all circumstances.
But new research performed by researchers at Stockholm University, published in...
Espresso, latte or decaf? Genetic code drives your desire for coffee
Whether you hanker for a hard hit of caffeine or favor the frothiness of a milky cappuccino, your regular coffee order could be telling...
Scientists find five double star systems potentially suitable for life
Almost half a century ago the creators of Star Wars imagined a life-sustaining planet, Tatooine, orbiting a pair of stars.
Now, 44 years later, scientists...
How do birds breathe so efficiently?
New findings offer potential to enhance flow engineering.
Birds breathe with greater efficiency than humans because of the structure of their lungs --looped airways that...
New software tool is Swiss Army knife for genomic data
A good way to find out what a cell is doing—whether it is growing out of control as in cancers, or is under the...
Life from Earth could temporarily survive on Mars, shows study
Some microbes on Earth could temporarily survive on the surface of Mars, finds a new study by NASA and German Aerospace Center scientists.
The researchers...
Ancient relic points to a turning point in Earth’s history 42,000 years ago
Just like in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the answer was 42.
The temporary breakdown of Earth’s magnetic field 42,000 years ago sparked major...