Science
Scientific discoveries and research
Mathematicians solve decades-old mystery about the hidden order in high-dimensional randomness
Three mathematicians have laid out proof that solves a long-standing problem in mathematics. Even the mathematician—an Abel prize winner—that first posed the pr...
The impact of microplastics on ocean carbon uptake
Marine microplastics affect algae's ability to grow and photosynthesize. Researchers have now calculated what impact this has on the greenhouse effect and the o...
Hydrous mantle minerals reveal possible source of seismic anisotropy in stagnant slabs
Seismic waves traveling through Earth's interior often propagate at different speeds depending on their direction, a phenomenon known as seismic anisotropy. Suc...
'Patchwork families' existed more than 5,000 years ago, Neolithic DNA reveals
Children from previous relationships growing up as siblings in a new family, couples adopting or fostering children: So-called patchwork families are a widespre...
Solar activity follows an 11‑year cycle. Here's how it controls eruptions and solar flares
When you look up at the sky on a sunny day, the sun might seem like a bright spot, unchanging in the sky. But the sun is a complex, dynamic celestial body, wrap...
Heavily reddened quasars caught going through a 'blow-out' phase
At the center of most large galaxies sits a supermassive black hole (SMBH). When these black holes are actively consuming material, they become incredibly lumin...
Early locust warning systems are key to minimizing natural disasters, returning up to 680 times investment
A study of one of the world's longest-running disaster warning systems—desert locust monitoring—finds surveillance limits damages and generates returns of up to...
Human-centered framework cuts child development tests to eight minutes across four skill areas
Educators and researchers around the world, especially in countries with limited resources, need cost-effective, scalable tools for assessing early child develo...
Tiny fossils found in 1.7-billion‑year‑old mud yield clues to the evolution of complex life
Stored in an open-air warehouse in tropical Darwin, Australia, are dozens of trays containing cylindrical cores of rock. They are from drill holes bored hundred...
Controlled experiments reveal how nuclear fallout particles form
In less than a millionth of a second after a nuclear detonation or a severe nuclear reactor accident, an enormous burst of energy heats the surrounding air and...
'The Silence of the Lambs' introduced the world to forensic entomology—but how much has changed since?
In the early 1990s, crime-loving television audiences could choose mainly between cozy, fictional detective series such as Columbo and Murder, She Wrote. The US...
'Permanently wet' coating method could transform wastewater treatment by helping bacteria survive better
Living bacteria embedded in coatings could clean wastewater, capture carbon and generate biofuels—but only if they survive the manufacturing process. Researcher...